Welcome to the Inside Out Club

Four opportunities for helping kids and families develop the character skills necessary to thrive in their lives, schools, community, and later in their careers.
Today’s youth face many risks and challenges – self-esteem, mental-health issues, bullying and more
It’s never too early to start equipping your kids and family with character and community
Since Inside Out Club Began in January 2014
Families Attended Inside Out Club on the Weekends
Kids & Parents Attended Inside Out Club on the Weekends
Volunteer Hours Donated
Students Attended Inside Out Club in Schools
Inside Out Club Today
In Schools 29 schools with more than 1,400 kids |
On Weekends 20 events a year serving families with kids ages 3-12 |
@Home (version 2.0 launching this fall) online resource filled with books, videos and projects |
Through Community (coming to you this fall) opportunities to practice your inside and out skills |
2nd Grade Parent
I learned to help others because some people might not have things that other people have.
I learned to work together. [We] can change the world.
Inside Out Club Kids
Lead Volunteer, May Watts Elementary School
What makes the Inside Out Club unique is our Integrated Curriculum
Character Skills – Practicing these 8 character skills translates into measurable positive outcomes.
Social Causes – Knowledge and understanding of key social issues increases a child’s sense of community and self.
Connection to Nonprofit Organizations – Children and parents believe they can create change and are empowered to help others.
Inside Out Club takes a comprehensive approach to helping develop kids with character by incorporating these three elements in all four Inside Out Club opportunities where everyone can participate.
Acceptance
- Proactively include others
- Allow others to belong unconditionally
- Value others for who they are
Collaboration
- Listen and speak with others to contribute to group success
- Actively support and inspire
- Engage positively, patiently and productively with others
Curiosity
- Demonstrate an active interest in learning
- Are brave enough to ask questions
- Are fearless innovators
Empathy
- Understand what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes
- Demonstrate compassion
- Help others through service
Gratitude
- Demonstrate a genuine appreciation for life’s gifts
- Recognize and focus on the positives
- Model gratitude to impact others
Kindness
- Put others’ needs before individual wants
- Value sharing, selflessness, generosity and compassion
- Care for themselves, others, animals and the environment
Perseverance
- Show grit, resilience and determination when facing challenges or the unexpected
- Have a growth mindset
- Follow through on commitments with grace and integrity
Self-Awareness
- Embrace their authentic selves
- Demonstrate healthy coping skills with social and emotional maturity
- Work to understand their biases, feelings and motivations to make good choices
Connecting to people for who they are and recognizing how we are all the same.
Protecting Our Planet
Working to keep our planet safe and healthy for generations to come.
Meeting Basic Needs
Understanding needs (food, shelter, clean water, transportation and literacy) versus wants.
Developing Self-Awareness / Character
Building the skills necessary to be a good person and thrive.
Being Socially Responsible
Having a desire and sense of responsibility to care for others and the planet.
Supporting Troops & Veterans
Valuing those who serve our country.
- Bernie’s Book Bank
- Blessings in a Backpack
- Celebrate Differences
- Clean Water Project
- The Conservation Foundation
- DuPage Pads
- DuPage Senior Council – Meals on Wheels
- DuPage United
- Family Focus Aurora
- DuPage Forest Preserve
- Giant Steps School
- Habitat for Humanity
- Honor Flight Chicago
- Literacy DuPage
- Loaves & Fishes CARES
- Loaves & Fishes Community Services
- Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans
- NAMI DuPage
- Naperville Area Humane Society
- Operation Drive
- Operation Support Our Troops
- People’s Resource Center
- Phil’s Friends
- Ripple Kindness Project
- Ronald McDonald Family Room
- SCARCE
- Special Olympics Illinois
- Special Spaces
- The GardenWorks Project
- Trees that Feed Foundation
- West Suburban Community Pantry
- Willowbrook Wildlife Center
- World Relief DuPage/Aurora
Check Out Our Latest Blog
669 Kids Learn Empathy by Helping the Homeless
Have you ever taken the time to think about how it would feel and look like to be homeless? And then volunteered to help kids and families who are homeless? This is what 669 students in the Inside Out Club did this October. As part of our “Homelessness in Our...
Caring for the Planet – 5 Tips for Your Family
Every child and family can help protect the planet by following these easy tips. Have something you’re doing not on our list? Share it in the comments and help others get involved in caring for the earth.
Place of My Mind #1: My Tipping Point
Have you ever had one of those days where you hit your emotional tipping point – cannot hold back the tears, every thought is pulling you down, you just want to crawl back to bed? With back to school season upon us, we thought we’d share one Mom’s story of hitting her tipping point and what she learned from it.
Thank You to Our Partners!










