Singing for a Cause: Children’s Ministry Music Leader Helps Children Serve Streetside Showers

Prosper, TX —In December, Cherise Camp, music leader in the children’s ministry of a local congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, used a unique game to combine singing time with community service. The children’s efforts benefitted Streetside Showers, a local nonprofit that provides hope, dignity, and weekly hot showers to homeless individuals in North Texas.

In December 2023 Camp and her family visited the Giving Machines in McKinney. With the return of the Giving Machines to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2024, she wanted to find a way for her congregation’s children to experience the joy of giving as her family had, so she decided to make a replica of the big red vending machine and incorporate it into her song instruction for the children during Sunday School — called Primary in the Church of Jesus Christ for children ages three to eleven.

Camp worked with Angela Johnson, a JustServe specialist in Prosper, to choose a nonprofit to benefit in her activity. “[Angela and I] discussed a couple different organizations that we could potentially help out by having their needs in the Giving Machine. Ultimately Streetside Showers seemed like the best fit for what we were doing.” Several Prosper residents have volunteered with Streetside Showers through JustServe and have loved their experiences working alongside other volunteers.

Camp encouraged enthusiastic participants by passing out heart-shaped cutouts as they sang. At the conclusion of each song, the children who had earned a heart inserted their heart “coins” into the vending machine, each choosing an item to donate. The choices of hygiene products included items such as toothbrushes, lotion, and soap, all components of a kit that Streetside Showers provides to each client at their mobile shower site.

This activity took place over two Sundays in December, and in January the products were purchased. The youngest class, comprised of three- and four-year-olds, helped to assemble the kits which were delivered on MLK Day to Streetside Showers.

“I wanted the Primary children to feel like they could make a difference in someone’s life by participating with my homemade Giving Machine in case they didn’t get the chance to go with their family,” said Camp. “Next year we hope to find another organization that we can bless by doing this activity again.”

All photos provided by Angela Johnson