Art & Activity Resource Rescue

Activity Program Resource Awards

Every year, Helpertunity collects recreation resources, craft supplies, and technology items for residents in care facilities and shelters.  These items are carefully packaged into "Activity Kits" and are distributed to Activity Professionals attending continuing education seminars, retreats, and directly to Care-Facility Activities Staffs by a personal visit from Helpertunity.

Helpertunity Resource prize table loaded with activity resources baskets photo from Activity Retreat 2014
Helpertunity Prize Table shown loaded with Activity Resources Baskets ready to give away to Nursing Home Recreation Services Professionals - photo from Activity Professional's Educational Retreat in 2014.

 

By packaging and distributing items in this manner, Helpertunity raises the odds that these brand new and gently used goods will be properly cared for, and used by a trained professional, to improve the quality of life for their elderly, disabled, or homeless shelter clients.  

 

Activity Director wins a custom T-shirt Printing Kit from Helpertunity
Activity Director wins a custom T-shirt Printing Kit from Helpertunity

 

Often the items provided exceed the typical facility resource budget, and are far beyond the personal financial means of the clients it will be shared within a facility activity or adaptive-class setting.

 

A nursing Home Activity Director wins a basket of paintable ceramics for use in craft class with her art participants
A Nursing Home Activity Director wins a basket of paintable ceramics for use in craft class with her art participants
An activity Director wins and inflatable globe to use in games with her Care Facility Residents
An activity Director wins and inflatable globe to use in games with her Care Facility Residents

 

Often the items do more than simply fill a few hours of time for the clients.  Many time's the items are re-usable, or may be enjoyed, and then incorporated into a facility's annual event decor, or painted/crafted and sold to raise donation funds for additional resources at the facility where they were given.

 

An Activity Director wins a paitable ceramic Christmas Village to use with her arts and crafts participants
An Activity Director wins a paitable ceramic Christmas Village to use with her arts and crafts participants

 

Helpertunity's Creative Volunteers have even used their Gift-Resources to hand-make trinkets to give as rewards and educational incentives to school children and pediatric patients.  And, over the years; volunteer-crafted items are distributed through: A Gift for Teaching, The Health Care Center for the Homeless, The Coalition Women's Shelter, Loaves & Fishes, the Hope Community Center of Apopka, and Barberville Pioneer & Settlement & Heritage Education Center. Each of these high-impact charities is located in Central Florida.

 

Alphabet Beads are an excellent resource for Elder and Memory Care Facility Craft Activity Programs
Alphabet Beads are an excellent resource for Elder and Memory Care Facility Craft Activity Programs

In addition to crafts and game equipment, the activity kits and resource baskets have included "kitchenless-cooking" appliances, "silly science" senior workshop experiments, software, and gently used technology tools.

 

Chemistry and Physics Kits and other Maker Themed Activity Supplies are a Fun Alternative to Crafts for our Retired Rocket Scientists
Chemistry and Physics Kits and other Maker Themed Activity Supplies are a fun alternative to crafts for our Retired Rocket Scientists

 

Useful Technology Resources are displayed to be won by Nursing Home Activity Directors for use with their Care Facility Residents
Useful Technology Resources are displayed to be won by Nursing Home Activity Directors for use with their Care Facility Residents

 

In addition to dropping off resources directly at Ender Care Facilities during the charity's travels; by presenting the resources at a low-cost gathering, which attracts Activity Professionals from around the State, Helpertunity is able to eliminate the cost of packing and shipping of these useful items, thus providing greater funding for additional resources.  

 

Activity Professional wins a Basket of Paintable Ceramic Vases for use in her Eldercare Facility Crafts Classes
Activity Professional wins a Basket of Paintable Ceramic Vases for use in her Eldercare Facility Crafts Classes

 

The project also helps to reduce the tendency for Activity Professionals to purchase activity supplies, for their residents, out of their own limited paychecks.

 

An Activity Director wins a complete Felt Crafting Class Supply Set for use with her Nursing Home Patients in Sewing Club
An Activity Director wins a complete Felt Crafting Class Supply Set for use with her Nursing Home Patients in Sewing Club

 

Often the facility clients are as anxious and excited to see; "what their Activity Professional is bringing them back from the conference..." as their Activity Professional is in having their name drawn for the item they most needed.  Professionals who are unable to attend the conference are also given the chance to receive resources; by participating in periodic Activity supply Give-Away Drawings on Helpertunity's Facebook page.

 

Computer programs on CDs are still appreciated and used in older model computers that have been donated to some disadvantaged disabled patients
Computer programs on CDs are still appreciated and used in older model computers that have been donated to some disadvantaged disabled patients

 

To be a part of the Activity Resource Awards & Prize Basket Collection & Distribution Efforts:  

Please contact Helpertunity directly if you feel you may have items that would be useful to contribute to the distribution event.  

To provide funding for the careful selection and purchase of new and useful items, please be sure that your donation to Helpertunity is marked with "Activity Resource Supply Prizes" on the memo line.

Target Population