Common Cents Mission: Common Cents, creator of the Penny Harvest, nurtures a new generation of caring and capable young people between the ages of four and 24 by enabling them to strengthen their communities through philanthropy and service-learning.

Penny Harvest location: 

Join the Common Cents email list!
Donate to Common Cents and the Penny Harvest!
Tell A Friend about Common Cents and the Penny Harvest!

Seattle
Penny Harvest Field

Search the Common Cents and Penny Harvest web site  

What's New at Common Cents and the Penny Harvest

Penny Harvest seeks volunteers to assist with December Penny Pick-Up at local schools. Click here for a volunteer sign-up sheet. Please fax completed forms to Maryellen Ferro at 206.957.2677.

The West Seattle Herald proclaims, "Students scrounge for idle pennies."

Camas Prairie Penny Harvest yields $2,400 for local charities. See photos from Camas Prairie Elementary School's 07/08 Penny Harvest.

Penny Harvest Youth Board is accepting applications. Join young people who desire to make change in their communities.

Instant Poll
Who do you think should be responsible for teaching our children to be good citizens?
Families
Schools
Religious institutions
Educational programs (like the Penny Harvest!)
All of the above

Solid Ground
administers the Penny Harvest in Seattle/King County in coordination with Common Cents

Penny Harvest Seattle
Schools|Coaches|Grantees|Families|Students|About Us|
Home > Penny Harvest > Location > Seattle > Families > Get Involved
email this page | print this page

GET INVOLVED
HELP Your Student and School
 
Make sure your child's school is a Penny Harvest school.

The Penny Harvest is all about connections, and this is the first one: students and their families connecting to neighbors. Your student and school are in a race to meet the 25-sack challenge! That’s 750 pounds of pennies they need to collect before Thanksgiving, and they need your help!

What is the Penny Harvest?

The Common Cents Penny Harvest grew from one child’s desire to feed the homeless in 1991. Since then children between the ages of four and 14 from New York City, Seattle and The Capital Region, NY, have been converting their natural compassion for others into action by collecting pennies and turning those pennies into grants for community organizations - $5.2 million in grants donated by children since 1991!
 
The Penny Harvest shows young people they have the ability to make the world a better place by introducing them to the power of philanthropy and service during their formative years. As children help others, they develop their generosity and moral character, and they learn through practice the skills and responsibilities of democratic participation.


During the 05/06 school year alone, almost a half million children from 770 New York City schools took part in the Penny Harvest, collecting nearly 190 tons of pennies or $655,508.54. After months of research and study, more than 7,000 children sitting on 521 Philanthropy Roundtables made 1,283 monetary grants to non-profits, such as women’s shelters, local hospitals for children and the elderly, community gardens and senior centers, and carried out 309 Neighborhood Service projects.
 
Get Involved!
  • Harvest pennies door to door with your child (in October and November)
  • Harvest pennies at your workplace to show your child that you support his/her efforts
  • Encourage your child to get involved with the roundtable at his/her school (January)
  • Talk to your child about issues that are important to him/her
  • Take your child on a community walk near your home. Then, talk to your child about the positive and negative things that you saw on your walk (for example, your child might notice trash on the ground). Talk about what your family can do to help.
  • Share with your child about any volunteer or civic activities you do in the community. Are you active at your place of worship? Do you help your neighbors? Donate your time or money? Share with your child why these activities are important to you. If possible, involve your child in your activities.
  • Talk to your child about how he/she might like to get more involved in the community.
  • Tackle small service projects as a family. Just making a card for an elderly neighbor is a great way to begin service and philanthropy in your home.

My Child’s School Does Not Currently Participate

If your child is missing out on all that the Penny Harvest has to offer, such as:
- Increased self-confidence
- A healthier sense of caring and social justice
- The development of superior leadership
- Communication and teamwork skills
- Academic learning

Contact your child’s school principal today and encourage him/her to register the school for the Penny Harvest. Make sure your child’s principal understands that the program is entirely FREE and getting involved only takes a few simple steps.

My Child is a Penny Harvest Leader

Congratulations!  Your child is enjoying a unique leadership opportunity!  Click here for the Penny Harvest Leader Permission Slip and read on to learn how you can harvest together.
 
Back to top
 

Home | Contact Us | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Web Credits


©2008 Common Cents New York, Inc.
Common Cents® and Penny Harvest® are trademarks of Common Cents New York, Inc.