Student Outreach for Shelters – SOS program
Templates: Request to Participate for School/Group
Administrators
Thank you for your interest in The Khaled Hosseini Foundation’s Student Outreach for Shelters
(SOS) Program.
The attached templates can be used to help request approval for the adoption of the SOS
program with school administrators, boards and others.
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The first template is for organizations and institutions seeking to integrate the SOS servicelearning project in conjunction with the curriculum developed for the study of Khaled
Hosseini’s novels.
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The second template can be used by those organizations and institutions seeking to
implement the SOS Program as a stand-alone, humanitarian service-learning project.
(Date)
Dear (name of official or administrator),
We are including the study of (The Kite Runner and/or A Thousand Splendid Suns) by Khaled
Hosseini in our upcoming curriculum. It has come to our attention that in response to requests
from educators for additional information, The Khaled Hosseini Foundation has developed a
free online “toolkit” of resources that make it possible for teachers to integrate the study of the
novels with a service-learning project called Student Outreach for Shelters (SOS).
The free toolkit provided by The Khaled Hosseini Foundation includes curriculum and lesson
plans linked to standards, maps, videos, research journals, slide shows and more. The SOS
service-learning project provides young people the opportunity to raise funds to build lifechanging, life-saving shelters for returning refugees in Afghanistan through a program of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The lesson plans provided by The Khaled Hosseini Foundation are drafted adhering to the
widely accepted Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McRel) standards. These
lesson plans, the resources I have described above, and a detailed description of the goals and
requirements of SOS are available for review and download at www.sos4tkhf.com.
The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, founded in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit, works in
Afghanistan to provide shelters for returning refugees, economic opportunities for women,
educational opportunities for children, and healthcare. We encourage you to learn more about
their work by visiting their website at www.khaledhosseinifoundation.org.
We are excited about the resources and opportunities The Khaled Hosseini Foundation is
making available and hope after reviewing the website and the materials included you will
agree that this program is a worthwhile endeavor for our community. I look forward to
answering any questions you may have so that we may proceed.
Sincerely,
(Date)
Dear (name of official or administrator)
As you may be aware our (students or members) have expressed a great deal of interest in (The
Kite Runner and/or A Thousand Splendid Suns) by Khaled Hosseini. In particular, the
humanitarian themes of these novels inspire our young people to ask how they can learn more
about and assist children and families in Afghanistan.
It has come to our attention that in response to requests from educators and young people for
more information about how to help, The Khaled Hosseini Foundation has developed free
resources for a service-learning project called Student Outreach for Shelters (SOS).
The SOS service-learning project provides young people the opportunity to raise funds to build
life-changing, life-saving shelters for returning refugees in Afghanistan through a program of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Although it can be implemented in
conjunction with a secondary school curriculum, we are interested in implementing it as a
stand-alone humanitarian project. Enclosed with this letter are the Guidelines for Schools
undertaking the project. Additional information about SOS is available online at
www.sos4tkhf.com.
The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, founded in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit, works in
Afghanistan to provide shelters for returning refugees, economic opportunities for women,
educational opportunities for children, and healthcare. We encourage you to learn more about
their work by visiting their website at www.khaledhosseinifoundation.org.
We are excited about the resources and opportunities The Khaled Hosseini Foundation is
making available and hope after reviewing the website and guidelines included, you will agree
that this program is a worthwhile endeavor for our community. I look forward to answering
any questions you may have so that we may proceed.
Sincerely,
(Teacher or group leader)
Student Outreach for Shelters (SOS)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Does SOS Focus on Shelter:
 One of the most critical needs returning refugees in Afghanistan have s to find shelter from the
country’s harsh winters and brutal summers. Without safe shelter, families and villages lose
many of their most vulnerable members each season—the young, ill or elderly.
 For all people, and Afghans in particular, being able to have a home—a place to welcome and
show hospitality to others—is key to a sense of worth and community.
Who Builds the Shelters:
 The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), one of the world’s most
respected aid agencies, operates the shelter program in Afghanistan.
 UNHCR provides the materials and training to empower families to build modest shelters for
themselves. By enabling families to participate in the construction of the shelters, UNHCR helps
foster a sense of civic engagement and pride of ownership.
How Much Does a Shelter Cost:
 Each shelter costs just $2,000 and can house a family of six.
 The value of each shelter is immeasurable and includes the return of dignity to a family,
protection from freezing temperatures, and the opportunity to begin rebuilding lives fraught
with tremendous hardship.
Can Students Be in Touch With the Family They Help:
 Helping to save lives and help families find hope again in a uniquely rewarding experience.
Although the United Nations does not have the means to put you in touch with the individual
family helped by your contribution, The Khaled Hosseini Foundation will provide you with a
certificate signed by Khaled Hosseini thanking you for your help and noting the number of
shelters you helped build.
What is The Khaled Hosseini Foundation:
 The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, founded in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit by Khaled
Hosseini and his wife Roya, works in Afghanistan to provide shelters for returning refugees,
economic opportunities for women, educational opportunities for children, and healthcare. You
can learn more about their work at www.khaledhosseinifoundation.org.
 Contributions to The Khaled Hosseini Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by
law. Our Federal Tax Identification Number (FEIN) is 26-4199874
Is There a Political Agenda to This Project or The Khaled Hosseini Foundation:
 Both the Foundation and this project are strictly humanitarian in nature. Neither addresses the
current conflicts in Afghanistan or the military involvement of the United States in that country.
Student Outreach for Shelters (SOS)
Frequently Asked Questions
Page 2
How Can Students Raise $2,000 Dollars:
There are countless ways to raise funds and students around the country are already proving it can be
fun and easy to do so. We recommend that students let their imagination and compassion be their
guides!
Here are just some of the ways that students are raising funds for SOS:
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Bake Sales, coffee morning or pancake breakfasts
Concerts and/or talent shows
Recycling drives
Raffles, game nights, pizza and/or Bingo parties
Dog or car washes
Skills auctions – offer to be a handyman, mow a lawn, cook a meal, clean or iron, babysit, or in
some other way help a family in your community
Register good quality, gently used items with a consignment store or sell items on eBAY or
another reputable online site
Hold a “guess how many” contest with a small prize (guess how many balloons are in the car,
jelly beans in the jar, etc.)
Athletic events or challenges (Walk-a-thons, lap contests for runners or bikers, etc.)
Ask for donations rather than gifts for your next special occasion
Ask friends and family to donate an hour of their salary, the amount they would spend on coffee
for a week, the price of one movie ticket, etc.
How About Selling One Shelter Brick at a Time:
Absolutely! Each shelter is made of many mud bricks and you can symbolically sell them one at a time.
Others have priced their bricks at $1.00, $5.00 or $10.00 apiece to inspire giving.
Can Technology Help:
Many students find it is easiest to raise cash that is then kept safe by a teacher or adult involved in the
project. However there are some websites that advertise a willingness to help with the collection of
funds. Two that we learned about are:
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Firstgiving.com – The site allows you to collect donations from your fundraising event or
athletic challenge. Firstgiving will create a website for you to benefit a non-profit organization.
At the conclusion of your fundraising, they will provide a donation to the nonprofit you have
designated, less a 7.5% fee.
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Justgive.org – The site lists charities and allows you to challenge others to donate. Justgive also
has a “tell a friend” form and a registry you can use for gift giving events or fundraising.
Justgive charges $2 USD per transaction and an overhead fee of 3%.