I’m always incredibly impressed with people who use whatever skills they have to make life better for children. The New York Times had a great story recently about Australian Oliver Percovich, who is teaching Afghan kids to skateboard as a way to give them something fun to do, and maybe change their lives for the better.

These kids are so desensitized to violence and, especially girls, don’t have much opportunity for games or sports. Percovich is trying to open a skatepark, Skateistan, so the kids have a safe place to practice.

Percovich is also thinking ahead to when the girls he’s teaching reach puberty and, according to local customs, are not allowed to be in a co-ed class. Skateistan will have separate facilities for girls; many families hope times will change, but realize change will not come quickly or easily.

We know sports and other after-school activities help kids grow into more productive and happy adults. In somewhere like Kabul, where barely have school supplies, much less playground equipment, programs like Skateistan could really make a difference.

At KangarooBoo, we support charities that make life better for children. One, City At Peace, provides a safe place for troubled teens to work through problems using the performing arts. Take a look through the charities we support. KangarooBoo donates a portion of your purchase to the charity of your choosing after checkout.

As many of you already know, KangarooBoo is very committed to doing good things in the world of children. KangarooBoo donates a portion of each and every sale to a children-related charity organization right there during our checkout process. One charity is chosen as the default charity, from our list of pre-approved charities. They all get rotated from time to time so every one of them receive extra exposure and funds. (Remember, you as the customer can change which charity the portion from your purchase goes to, from your account under My Stuff / orders. Please ask us if you are unsure about how to make that change.)

We are proud to announce the addition of two new charities to our pre-approved charity list.

City at Peace – New York
CP-NY is a local chapter of a national organization that works with teenagers to empower them to create safe, healthy, peaceful lives and communities. The program is a combination of activities that examine the interrelationship of the problems and conflicts that youth care about, and often suffer from. It also develops their capacity for addressing these issues. By using the performing arts as a vehicle, CP-NY is developing the next generation of engaged community leaders.

Bosom Buddies – Cape Town
Bosom Buddies is a non-profit Christian organization started and run by a mom to 3 kids. She was both frustrated and horrified at some of the treatments taking place at state-run hospitals where newborns and new moms receive next to nothing after labor & delivery. Bosom Buddies strive to provide a diaper bag to each and every new mom, filled with basic essentials for baby and mom. They want to ensure that no baby goes home without adequately clothed and each mom feels that their community do care and the birth is recognized and celebrated.

To read more about these organizations that KangarooBoo supports, click on the individual organizations names. We welcome your suggestions of other organizations to be added to our list of supported charities. Please email us and tell us more about the organization(s) that you would like to suggest.