Volunteer Resources
There are all sorts of ways to involve family and friends in helping Half the Sky to help China's orphans...and have fun doing it!
Throw a Party!
Half the Sky volunteers have organized parties of every kind to celebrate birthdays and holidays and adoptions and anniversaries or just an opportunity to get together with friends and loved ones and make something good happen for China's orphans at the same time.
One enterprising hostess even organized a phantom fundraiser — a non-party, and invited her friends not to come. You can see some sample invitations here soon.
Tell the World about Half the Sky!
If you'd like to make a presentation about Half the Sky and its programs for China's orphans, please contact us. We are preparing a presentation kit right now. In the meantime, our office can provide you with a copy of our video as well as newsletters and brochures and other informational material.
A great way to help spread the word is to host information tables at fairs and community events. Here are some ideas about How to host a HTS table/booth at a local event and here is a small do-it-yourself tabletop sign with simple instructions that you can use for your table. In addition to requesting newsletters and brochures and fact sheets from HTS, you might want to try printing this large do-it-yourself Half the Sky banner! Just follow these simple instructions. Or you may wish to load the JPEG image file and take it to a printer. Note: this is a large file!
Walk, Run, Bike! 
Half the Sky volunteers have organized walks, runs, and bikeathons. They've biked across the United States, and the length of China.
Download the Half the Sky Guide to Runs and Walks (coming soon)
At right: Matt Zedler bicycled from Richmond, VA to Boston, MA to raise money for Half the Sky's Children's Earthquake Fund.
On the Auction Block
Every year in October Half the Sky has an online eBay/MissionFish auction with items generously donated by our supporters. If you have something you would like to donate for the annual auction, please contact us.
Donors can also list items directly on eBay/MissionFish to benefit Half the Sky. Items can be listed at any time of the year to benefit Half the Sky F
oundation, not just during our annual auction. After the item sells, MissionFish collects your donation and sends the funds directly to Half the Sky. Here are simple steps to follow if you would like to make a donation at any time of the year and work directly with MissionFish:
- Visit MissionFish
- Get registered as a seller.
- Write an item title and description.
- List your item through MissionFish and indicate it will benefit Half the Sky
- Complete your transaction
- MissionFish will provide you with a receipt for your donation.
Volunteer in China
Each year we are able to invite a very small number of Half the Sky volunteers to join us on a workcrew to help renovate rooms to become a new HTS Children’s Center in China.
The work consists of light carpentry, painting, toy and play structure assembly. It's dusty and sweaty -- the hardest work you'll ever wish wasn't coming to an end so soon. We guarantee that you will leave feeling exhausted, fulfilled and very, very good about yourself. However, HTS work trips are not homeland tours, designed for sightseeing or root-tracing. There are many wonderful opportunities to do just that; but HTS crews are welcomed into welfare institutions solely to help the children who remain inside. 
At right: HTS Volunteer, Sandy Wang assembles and paints tables for a Little Sisters Preschool.
This is entirely a volunteer effort. Not only do you get to do all the work, you get to pay for it! You are responsible for getting yourself to China. A rough estimate of additional expenses within China for two weeks comes to $2,000 for a single volunteer; $2,500 per couple; with full payment due in advance. The costs vary, depending on locale and on whether there will be domestic air travel required.
Again, please understand, the number of available volunteer crew spots is limited. If you are interested in joining a crew, please download an application.