What Youth Leaders Say
"The Sound Off for Poverty was such a moving experience. We began our Media Fast by placing our cell phones on the church's altar and saying 'I consecrate my life to Christ.' We hadn't planned on doing that ahead of time. We were sitting in the altar area, and we wanted to make this a sacred thing. God just led, and that is what happened!"
"The Sound Off definitely touches kids where they're at! Our youth sealed their cell phones and electronics in a box with duct tape during their Media Fast. They've never taken ownership of something like they did with this. I loved it. It was easy to do."
"The Sound Off for Poverty was good for our kids. We do a fundraiser every year, but this one required the least maintenance and start-up cost. I couldn't have been more pleased."
"I liked the reality that the Sound Off brought to the youth who participated. They all felt blessed and expressed how fortunate they were for all they had. It was a truly inspiring event."
"We had an overnight lock-in at the church and did the Bible Study lessons and Sound Off activities. The Bible Studies were easy to use, and the activities made the issue of poverty more real and tangible. The next morning we did a service project, planting a garden at a county-based foster care clinic. One youth videotaped the event to share with our church."
"The kids just loved it and learned a lot. The Bible Studies were relevant and easy to teach. Each week the kids had something to think about as they went out into their worlds. We saw it change them over that period of time. They realized that there were people right in their school classroom who they could do something for to help make them feel better. We had an 18-hour lock-in and stayed awake the entire time. On Sunday morning, we did a skit for the congregation during the worship service. Our church was thrilled! The kids shared what they had learned and how they had raised money, and they received a standing ovation! The kids are already asking to do The Sound Off for Poverty again."
"On Friday night we sent out a Sound Off e-mail reminding the kids to shut off all their media. We did the Bible Studies which the kids loved. It helped prepare their hearts for the weekend. We taped the Sound Off logo over all of our TVs, DVD players, etc. Then we went on a door-to-door food pantry scavenger hunt with two teams competing with one another. We broke our Media Fast by having the kids turn on their cell phones and call their parents to pick them up."
"We really appreciated having so much good material to work with and choose from. On Friday night we had a sleepover at the church, and the principal of an elementary school with many families struggling in poverty came and spoke about the realities of living in poverty. This helped the kids realize that it isn't just about homelessness, but that many families are not able to make ends meet month to month to provide for their own needs. On Sunday the kids gave a presentation to the congregation during our worship service."
"The materials were great. The information was powerful and relevant. The Sound Off for Poverty definitely opened the kids' eyes to the needs around them."
"The Sound Off was a great experiment for our kids to shut off their electronic entertainment and tune in to what God was teaching them about the poor."