STEPS For Kids http://stepsforkids.org providing healthy, educational and recreational programs for children & families Tue, 08 May 2012 18:35:39 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 Immediate opportunity for marketing volunteer or intern, or maybe just someone with good marketing ideas http://stepsforkids.org/immediate-opportunity-for-marketing-volunteer-or-intern-or-maybe-someone-with-good-marketing-ideas http://stepsforkids.org/immediate-opportunity-for-marketing-volunteer-or-intern-or-maybe-someone-with-good-marketing-ideas#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 18:29:29 +0000 Diane http://stepsforkids.org/?p=337 Jazz for Peace–jazzforpeace.org–has chosen STEPS for Kids as a recipient of its Empowerment Tree Grant.  This means that the Jazz musician Rick DellaRatta–rickdellaratta.com–will be playing a benefit jazz concert in Ann Arbor for STEPS for Kids in September.  We need a volunteer or an intern to spread the word (advertize) in Washtenaw County, and especially in the Ann Arbor area.  If you don’t need volunteer hours or an internship but still would like to help with this project, please contact Diane@stepsforkids.org.

]]> http://stepsforkids.org/immediate-opportunity-for-marketing-volunteer-or-intern-or-maybe-someone-with-good-marketing-ideas/feed 0 Jazz for Peace chooses STEPS for Kids to benefit from concert http://stepsforkids.org/jazz-for-peace-chooses-steps-for-kids-to-benefit-from-concert http://stepsforkids.org/jazz-for-peace-chooses-steps-for-kids-to-benefit-from-concert#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:45:55 +0000 Diane http://stepsforkids.org/?p=326 When John (that’s really his name) called STEPS for Kids one day this winter and asked about us, we told him.  We told him about the indoor winter educational entertainment and summer outdoor environmental and planting activities.  We told him STEPS for Kids’ mission is to offer disadvantaged children experiences that will inspire them to learn, to stay in school, to work and play outdoors, and to improve their futures.  Truthfully we did not even know who John was, but we are happy to tell ANYONE about what we do.  Turns out, John is the grant administrator at Jazz for Peace, and some good fairy or little birdie had told him about STEPS for Kids.

As a result of this phone conversation, Jazz for Peace offered STEPS for Kids an amazing and unusual grant.  Jazz for Peace and jazz artist Rick DellaRatta would hold a concert in Ann Arbor to benefit STEPS for Kids, and STEPS would spread the word locally.

Find out why these two organizations like one another so much.  Cruise around the STEPS website where you may be reading this right now.  Or if you have signed up for our news, you are reading it in your inbox.  Donate to our programs that the children, as well as Jazz for Peace, value so highly.  When you want to donate locally or nationally, this is easy to remember: stepsforkids.org.

Then google Jazz for Peace at jazzforpeace.org and Rick DellaRatta at rickdellaratta.com to find some good news in this usually bad news world of ours.  And come to the Rick DellaRatta Jazz for Peace benefit concert in Ann Arbor Sunday September 30, 2012.  Contact diane@stepsforkids.org for concert details.

When you want to donate nationally or internationally, this is easy to remember: jazzforpeace.org.

]]> http://stepsforkids.org/jazz-for-peace-chooses-steps-for-kids-to-benefit-from-concert/feed 0 Jazz for Peace Foundation idea began with 9/11 http://stepsforkids.org/jazz-for-peace-foundation-idea-began-with-911 http://stepsforkids.org/jazz-for-peace-foundation-idea-began-with-911#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 19:10:24 +0000 Diane http://stepsforkids.org/?p=315 Rick DellaRatta watched the jets hitting skyscrapers from a rooftop a few blocks away from ground zero on September 11, 2001.  He was horrified by what he saw: politics hand-in-hand with technology, causing unending suffering for people.  As he saw the towers crumble, shock on the faces on the the streets of New York, and people holding hands as they jumped from 15 stories of smoke and fire to their certain deaths, an idea grew from the tragedy.  He knew the world had to change to avoid such horrific scenes, and he wanted to be part of that change.

The Jazz for Peace Foundation was formed, and jazz composer, songwriter, pianist, and singer Rick DellaRatta has given over 800 benefit concerts worldwide for nonprofit organizations.  He does this “to help the organizations that are helping others.”  This is what he can do to alleviate the pain, poverty, and politics that combine to cause so much suffering in our world.

Come to his concert in Ann Arbor September 30, 2012.  Contact diane@stepsforkids.org for concert details.

]]> http://stepsforkids.org/jazz-for-peace-foundation-idea-began-with-911/feed 0 Washtenaw County Jazz concert in Ann Arbor September 30, 2012 http://stepsforkids.org/washtenaw-county-jazz-concert-in-ann-arbor-september-30-2012 http://stepsforkids.org/washtenaw-county-jazz-concert-in-ann-arbor-september-30-2012#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:50:02 +0000 Diane http://stepsforkids.org/?p=312 Rick DellaRatta and Jazz for Peace will perform a benefit concert for STEPS for Kids in Ann Arbor on  Sunday September 30.  Write to diane@stepsforkids.org for more details.

]]> http://stepsforkids.org/washtenaw-county-jazz-concert-in-ann-arbor-september-30-2012/feed 0 Work this summer on Montrio Pond http://stepsforkids.org/work-this-summer-on-montrio-pond http://stepsforkids.org/work-this-summer-on-montrio-pond#comments Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:46:15 +0000 Diane http://stepsforkids.org/?p=289 This summer of 2012 we hope to begin serious rehabilitation of Montrio Pond’s banks.   The banks have been collapsing because of development around the Pond.  Sign up for our newsletters to have the work dates delivered to your home, along with other STEPS for Kids news.  This is a BIG project!

]]> http://stepsforkids.org/work-this-summer-on-montrio-pond/feed 0 EMU Volunteer and Internship Fair http://stepsforkids.org/emu-volunteer-and-internship-fair http://stepsforkids.org/emu-volunteer-and-internship-fair#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:36:11 +0000 Adrianne http://stepsforkids.org/?p=256 EMU Volunteer and Internship Fair
22 September 2011

STEPS for Kids found dedicated and bright volunteers at this event, and some of them are still with us.

Visit our Volunteer Page to read about the jobs you might enjoy.

]]> http://stepsforkids.org/emu-volunteer-and-internship-fair/feed 0 Soil Testing Party! http://stepsforkids.org/soil-testing-party http://stepsforkids.org/soil-testing-party#comments Sun, 29 May 2011 14:30:29 +0000 Adrianne http://stepsforkids.org/?p=192 Please join us for our Soil Testing Party, Sunday, June 19th at 2pm.  Urban farmer and soil guru, JP Swanson will visit Montrio Pond and tell us all about the areas rocks, dirt and clay.  Bring your Dad on his special day to celebrate and learn about the minerals that help plants grow.  This is a free event open to all.  Let’s hope for a sunny day!

]]> http://stepsforkids.org/soil-testing-party/feed 0 Do you need toothpaste for kids? http://stepsforkids.org/do-you-need-toothpaste-for-kids http://stepsforkids.org/do-you-need-toothpaste-for-kids#comments Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:35:07 +0000 Staff http://www.stepsforkids.org/do-you-need-toothpaste-for-kids/ Recently Dr. Susan Haddock, DDS, donated nine boxes of toothpaste especially made for the needs of growing children.  If you (your child) or children you know need toothpaste, contact Diane@stepsforkids.org .   If you have trouble paying for your child’s dental care, contact Washtenaw Children’s Dental Clinic.  If you have trouble paying for adult dental care, contact the Hope Clinic.  Thank you, Dr. Haddock, for the toothpaste and the information.

]]> http://stepsforkids.org/do-you-need-toothpaste-for-kids/feed 0 spring planting day moved http://stepsforkids.org/spring-planting-day http://stepsforkids.org/spring-planting-day#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:56:16 +0000 Staff http://www.stepsforkids.org/spring-planting-day/ Spring Planting Day has moved to Fall.  Due to the cold and rainy weather we could not properly prepare the grounds for planting.  Please check back later for an announcement of the new date this Fall.

]]> http://stepsforkids.org/spring-planting-day/feed 0 A new link for Michigan critters http://stepsforkids.org/a-new-link-for-michigan-critters http://stepsforkids.org/a-new-link-for-michigan-critters#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:55:44 +0000 Staff http://www.stepsforkids.org/a-new-link-for-michigan-critters/ Do you know what an amphibian is?  How about an annetid?  Just go to our home page, find the links section, find the “new link for Michigan critters” in the list of links, click on it, and you will be in the outdoor world of things around you that you do and don’t see: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, annetids, mollusks, or insects.  Find out what all these things are.

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