(ARA) – In many ways, the joint birthday party in late January for 8-year old Sofia Segalla and her best friend, Clara Goulding, was full of traditional fun. They and 28 of their classmates enjoyed inflatable structures, a whirlwind of exciting games and exchanging giggles like only 8-year-olds can.

What was unusual, and truly inspiring about Sofia and Clara’s party, however, is that in lieu of gifts, the girls requested that donations be made to a Chicago-based nonprofit, Friends of the Orphans, to help children in need in Haiti who were affected by the country’s devastating January 2010 earthquake. The birthday guests contributed approximately $900 to St. Damien’s Pediatric Hospital, an amount that pleasantly surprised Sofia’s mom Michele.

“We did something similar for my son several years ago when he was 5, and this year, Sofia was truly excited about doing a party fundraiser,” says Michele Segalla. “It really made her think, and she’s more aware about people in need and how fortunate she is.”

It’s no secret that Americans are a generous bunch, and according to Giving USA, 83 percent of philanthropic dollars are contributed by individuals. In 2009, this amount totaled just more than $227 billion. While adults are well-versed in the benefits of philanthropic giving, teaching children the impact they can make by getting involved in fundraising activities and volunteerism can help shape a future generation of leaders.

“Helping others in need, and in Friends of the Orphans’ case, helping children in need, is tightly woven into our country’s fabric,” says Sharon Saxelby, president and CEO of Friends of the Orphans.

“By involving our children in charitable opportunities from a young age, we are not only reinforcing how blessed they may be in their own lives, but we are demonstrating that even the smallest initiative can make them feel good and change the lives of others. It’s important for adults to lead by example,” she says.

For parents interested in involving their children in charitable initiatives, how do they begin? With the lazy days of summer quickly approaching, parents have a wide open opportunity to seize some of those free hours and work side-by-side with their children on identifying which causes might appeal to them and how much time they can dedicate.

Based on what sparks their children’s interest, whether it’s sports, animals, nature, music or something else, parents and their kids can jointly research local or national opportunities for donation recipients. Sites like CharityNavigator.com allow visitors to search by category, hot topics or top 10 lists. Another option is to stay local. For instance, if a child has a love of animals, contact the local animal shelter to see what is at the top of their “wish list.” The most important thing when considering a cause to support is that the children get excited about it.

For a suburban Chicago 13-year-old, Caleigh Joyce, choosing an organization to benefit from her eighth-grade confirmation service project was an easy decision. Her family is a long-time Friends of the Orphans sponsor to 11-year-old Dulce from Cuernavaca, Mexico, so Caleigh knew she wanted to directly help children in need there.

For her “Frutas y Verduras Para los Amigos y Victorias” (Fruits and Vegetables For Friends) project, Caleigh created a flier, a mass e-mail to family and friends, and a website (friendsoftheorphans.org/caleighsproject) explaining her ambitious goal of raising approximately $2,000 to purchase four months of fresh fruits and vegetables for 180 high school children living in a group home in Cuernavaca. After visiting the home and her “sister” Dulce in February, she felt even closer to the cause and saw the direct impact her efforts will make.

“I chose to do this because it’s really meaningful and makes me feel good. It’s important, so I’m talking to a lot of friends and family about donating,” Caleigh says.

Saxelby notes that a secondary benefit to children getting involved in charitable endeavors is that it strengthens their future college applications and helps them distinguish themselves from their peers.

After children identify who they want to raise money for, the next step is how to raise the money. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and many activities can be completed in a day. Based on the age of the child and how many friends and adults he or she can enlist to assist, a few suggestions to consider, especially during the summer months, include:

* Neighborhood dog wash

* Charity car wash

* Used book sale

* Making and selling homemade jewelry

* Birthday party donation in lieu of gifts

* Backyard movie night on large screen under the stars

“There are so many worthy charitable organizations and creative ways to raise money. By fostering an existing love, children will be more motivated to stay involved,” Saxelby says. “Whether raising money to help the local animal shelter buy puppy food, or volunteering to clean up a park where kids spend hours playing basketball, that personal connection is really important.

“Today’s children have so much power to really make an impact in our world. Engaging kids in charitable initiatives creates a deeper bond within their own families and also brings them closer to those they are helping.”

For more information about Friends of the Orphans, visit www.friendsoftheorphans.org.