It may not be surprising to many people to learn about the negative effect of stressful living conditions on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of children. What has gotten the attention of many experts recently, however, the Center for Disease Control studies pointing at connections between stressful living conditions and the physical health of kids as they grow into adults.
"Oftentimes we don't think about this," says MSU professor Richard Cole PhD, "but as these kids grow into adults they are showing health that are largely the result of stress as their organs are developing."
Armed with some research of his own, Cole and his team of MSU faculty decided to take action. They found that both the willingness to help and the organizations to improve the living conditions of children were already alive and well in the Lansing area, so they partnered the Children's Trust Fund and
Netvantage Marketing to connect the two.
"Every Child is Yours" is a volunteer information and recruitment campaign that aims to use social media to connect potential volunteers with local organization who need their help, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, the Capital Area Literacy Coalition and more. The campaign will include Twitter and
Facebook outreach, as well as an educational blog.
Cole says studies show that the Millenial Generation is a demographic that has a particular interest in both social media and community engagement. He hopes to harness that interest to benefit the health of area children.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.