Mark Shriver, Vice President & Managing Director of US Programs, discusses Save the Children with Randy Jackson of American Idol.

American Idol judge, Randy Jackson, spent two days visiting our programs in Louisiana in the lead-up to the Idol Gives Back event.

In New Orleans, Randy joined in a Project Joy emotional-support session for kindergartners. He participated in the structured activities and even shared his love for music with the children by playing the guitar.

Emotional-support kits contain materials to help build children’s resiliency, work through their emotions after a difficult event and help them build trust in themselves and their peers. The kits contain activity supplies such as art materials, books, games and materials to help spur the imagination.

Save the Children offers emotional-support programs at schools to children, youth and teachers in Louisiana and Mississippi as part of our continuing work to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The programs include structured games for children and address issues such as stress management for adults who care for children.

In the post-Katrina environment — as after emergencies around the world — Save the Children implements emotional support and Safe Spaces programs to help children regain a sense of normalcy after the crisis. In the United States, Save the Children distributes kits of materials to help set up Safe Spaces in shelters and other locations. The kits can be used to help volunteers set up structured activities for children, or in shorter-term scenarios, to provide ways for families and children to play together. The emotional-support programs are conducted during or after school.

Paul, Kamal, Brandon, Montesse, and J’Kim pose with American Idol’s Randy Jackson in their former neighborhood in New Orleans East.

Randy also spent time with five teenage boys, who also participate in Save the Children emotional-support program at their school. Outside the boys’ former home in New Orleans East, where the devastation is still very evident, Randy listened to the boys rap about stopping the increased violence that is prevalent in New Orleans after Katrina.

At the Diamond FEMA transitional park in Plaquemines Parish, La., children participated in a dance-off —with Randy as a special guest. Children danced in groups based on age, enjoying their Saturday morning even as a spring storm passed overhead. At Diamond, Save the Children has established a community center and is working with partner organizations to ensure that children have structured, safe activities and their parents a place to gather as they work toward rebuilding their lives.

Learn more about what Save the Children is doing at Diamond park
Learn more about our programs in the U.S.