Miles of Smiles Holiday Program - Partnership for ChildrenAt — Partnership for Children (P4K)
Help create holiday magic for children facing serious illness and their siblings through Partnership for Children’s Miles of Smiles holiday program! Service Learners will play an active role in coordinating this large community effort, from gathering family wish lists and connecting with community donors to organizing gifts, preparing holiday packages, and assisting with distribution to families.
Students will gain hands-on experience in nonprofit program coordination, community engagement, and family-centered service while helping ensure each child receives thoughtful, personalized gifts for the holidays. Responsibilities may include communicating with families and community partners, organizing donations, tracking wish lists and gifts, supporting volunteer activities, shopping for needed items, wrapping and preparing packages, and assisting with program logistics.
This is a joyful, fast-paced opportunity to see firsthand how community generosity is transformed into meaningful support for local families.
2 Service Learner Spots
Students will receive an orientation to Partnership for Children’s mission, programs, services, and the children and families we serve. Training will include an overview of the Miles of Smiles program, its timeline and processes, family confidentiality, respectful and culturally responsive communication, and expectations when representing the organization.
Students will receive hands-on guidance for specific responsibilities, including family wish lists, donor and community partner communication, donation tracking, gift organization, volunteer activities, and distribution logistics. Templates, examples, organizational resources, and ongoing instruction will be provided as students move through each phase of the program.
Opportunity Supervision
Students will receive ongoing supervision from the Executive Director and work closely with Partnership for Children staff throughout the program. Regular check-ins will be used to review priorities, upcoming deadlines, assignments, questions, and progress as the holiday program moves through its different phases.
Shared tools such as Google Drive, program tracking documents, calendars, and checklists will be used to organize information and coordinate responsibilities. Students will receive clear instructions for assigned projects, access to staff for questions and guidance, and timely feedback throughout their placement.
The experience will be collaborative and hands-on, allowing students to take ownership of meaningful responsibilities while working as part of the team responsible for bringing Miles of Smiles from planning through family distribution.
Interested students should emai to express interest:
Jennifer Ramirez, Executive Director
jennifer@partnerforkids.org
Please include your name, major, anticipated service-learning schedule, and a brief description of why you are interested in the Miles of Smiles program.
Selected students will be invited to a brief conversation to discuss the opportunity, scheduling, course requirements, and fit. A resume is welcome but not required. We value reliability, organization, compassion, initiative, and enthusiasm for working with our community.