Summer of Service (SOS) - San Antonio
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Make it Happen Initiative

Make it Happen

SOS was recognized by the White House for our commitment to encouraging young people to become social entrepreneurs. If you are a young person who has an idea to make our community better, SOS wants to help you make it happen. Submit your idea today!

Now that we are doing SOS from Home, submit your ideas that you think we can do from home during the COVID-19 crisis.

Submit Your Idea

Support our Current MIH Project: Deaf Ally

Hey SOSers! 
I’m Laylah Votion and I’ve been diligently working hard on my Make It Happen initiative for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities who are confronting a multitude of obstacles during this pandemic. One way we can help these communities is speaking out about the hardships they are facing right now due to the pandemic. To name a few: the language barrier between Deaf/ Hard of Hearing  individuals and hearing individuals, the isolation of those who may live in a household that have not learned their language, the lack of interpreters among news outlets, etc.

Secondly, during this global pandemic which warrants the use of masks to stay safe, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities have faced language barriers, as most hearing people do not know or understand American Sign Language. In a sense, not being able to communicate because of a language barrier is more than a burden, it is isolating
. Communication is a major factor in a Deaf or Hard of Hearing person’s lives, as many can not even communicate with their own family. Spending time with those they can communicate with is a liberating freedom that has been taken away for many due to this pandemic. In these troubling times the last thing they need is to feel isolated once more outside their home. 


Through the money I’ve raised through my GoFundMe , which is still open for donations, I’ve been able to purchase hundreds of stickers available NOW to buy. Every single dollar that we make through these stickers will go towards buying communication- accessible face masks for Sunshine Cottage School for the Deaf. These masks will aid in reading lips and facial expressions essential to sign language, while common face masks often create a language barrier, due to their lack of accessibility to the mouth area.

I want to continue selling products, including these stickers, that will provide the funds to create and donate communication-accessible face masks to organizations that support these communities. Selling these stickers is the first step! We need your help to continue funding our efforts by contributing to our GoFundMe (https://gf.me/u/x9au6j) to aid in our mission to help as many people as possible. Every dollar raised will go towards reaching my goal of purchasing these masks and helping the Deaf/Hard of Hearing communities. We hope to accomplish this before the 2020-2021 school year, as our first donation will be to the Sunshine Cottage School for the Deaf. I hope that you will support me and follow along in my efforts to aid the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities during this troubling pandemic. 
Links
GoFundMe: https://gf.me/u/x9au6j 
Instagram: https://instagram.com/deaf_ally
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DEAF-ALLY-109536450793666/ 
Central Link (contains Facebook, Instagram, GoFundMe): https://deafally.carrd.co/
You can support this effort by purchasing your Deaf Ally Stickers here!

​100% of proceeds from purchasing these stickers will aid in our donation of communication- accessible face masks to the Sunshine Cottage School for the Deaf. In their upcoming school year, they are in need of the required face masks to follow CDC guidelines which will keep their students safe. Please help us help others by purchasing our stickers, your donation really goes a long way in affecting children from the Deaf/Hard of Hearing communities in need. 

Register to Make Masks

Purchase Deaf Ally Stickers


Completed Make it Happen Projects


Help for Haiti
May 2017


Summer partnered with Nehemiah Vision Ministries to collect items to donate and create awareness of this problem. She has chosen to work with Nehemiah Vision Ministries (NVM), an organization whose mission is to bring hope and aid to the people of Haiti. She needs your help to make a difference by collecting new or used items to support the NVM Mission.
Fundraiser to help Flint, Michigan ​
​April 2017


Tionna partnered with Mary Stevenson at the Flint Catholic Charities branch to raise money to buy bottled water for the citizens of Flint, who still can not use the tap water for bathing, drinking, washing or cooking. 
The Heart Smiles Drive 
​March 2017


Esteban, Nicholas, and Natalia partnered with The Heart Smiles to collect just under 1,000 items for orphans in Ghana. They collected lots of needed hygiene and health items, like toothbrushes and pain relievers, but also some things to spread joy, like scooters and stuffed animals.
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CARE Drive 
​February 2017


​Kaylon Hoover and Mychael Brown wanted to help wild animals, so they collected new and used sheets, towels, and blankets for the Center for Animal Research and Education (CARE), a big cat sanctuary in Bridgeport, Texas.
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 San Antonio Youth Literacy
​January 2017


Katheryn wanted to help kids read. We're partnered with Book Buddies to collect books up to a 6th grade reading level, in order to give more children in San Antonio a greater chance of succeeding both in school and beyond. 
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Christian Assistance Ministries
​December 2016


Julian wanted to collect toys for children in need. We partnered with Christian Assistance Ministries to stock their 'store' where parents in need can come for gifts for their children.
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Help For America's Heroes
​November 2016


This year, Bryanna's Help For America's Heroes boxed and mailed 114 care packages to troops overseas.
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Texas Diaper Bank
October 2016


Diego joined the Texas Diaper Bank's One Million Diapers campaign again this year, collecting more than 14,000 diapers!
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SA Pets Alive
May 2016

Description: Auroara wanted to help make the pens for the dogs at SA Pets Alive more shaded by installing new tarps. SOS also built a new community garden for SA Pets Alive, walked dogs, and helped care for the cats.

Shoe Box Project
April 2015

Description: Cindy and Ali, with the help of fellow students, partnered up with United Way through SAMM Ministries to create the Shoebox Project. They decorated 42 boxes with donated supplies and encouraging messages written by the kids.

Help For Heroes
November 2015
​
Description: Bryanna initiated the Help for Heroes drive which allowed people to donate items that will be mailed to soldiers overseas! Many people contributed by donating either non-food items or non-perishable food items at certain locations a drop-off box for donations.

Texas Diaper Bank
October 2015

​Description: Diego joined the Texas Diaper Bank campaign to raise one million diapers. With the help of fellow SOS members, they worked to get things ready for the drive by making posters and collection jars and getting everyone involved in such a great cause. At the end, he collected 3,153 diapers and $701.27 dollars! Desiree and Jesus also organized an entire benefit concert to help the diaper drive!

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Follow us at these locations below and
​ please contact us at anytime with questions.
Summer of Service (SOS)
​
PO Box 780674
San Antonio, Texas 78278
©2021. All Rights Reserved.

Summer of Service (SOS) is a registered 501(c)(3).
  • Home
  • ABOUT
    • About US
    • Staff Information
    • Recognition
    • Testimonials
  • LEARN
  • SERVE
    • Make it Happen Initiative
    • Laylah's MIH - Deaf Ally
  • EXPLORE
    • Upcoming Trips >
      • Upcoming Trips - 2021
      • Italy and Greece 2021
    • Where We've Been >
      • England and France 2019
      • Germany 2019 Student Ambassador Program
      • Japan 2018 Student Ambassador Program
      • Peru 2018 Service Experience
      • Spain 2018 SA300 Ambassador Program
      • Aus/NZ 2017
      • Italy 2017
      • Belize 2017
      • England and France 2016
      • CHINA 2016
      • Costa Rica 2016
      • Greece and Italy 2015
      • Peru 2014
    • Dominican Republic 2019 Women's Conference
  • Join SOS
    • For Students
    • For Parents
    • For Educators
    • Donate
    • Need Volunteers?
  • SOS Gear
  • SOS From Home