Callie Hanley, 6, cleans her room and feeds the dogs to earn money so she can donate it to a program that provides books to underprivileged children.

She is one of the Sunday school students ages 3 to 6 at Gateway Believers Fellowship in Carnesville, Ga., who have been giving their tithes to the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy. The foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides books to children 5 years old and younger. It costs $36 to sponsor a child for one year through the program.

“I think when I give money I’m helping other people that need books and don’t have books,” said Callie, who lives in Eastanollee, Ga.

Matthew Randolph of Commerce, Ga., a teacher for the Sunday school class, said that on Aug 3. The students collected $360 and were able to sponsor 10 children. He said some students are doing extra chores while others were asking their parents for money to tithe.

They have been collecting tithes since November 2007.

“We are very thrilled about the children’s responses,” Randolph said. “It is really neat to see how they really do have a passion for giving and wanting to help other kids. It has even stimulated our kids wanting to read.”

The church threw a party of the kids in honor of their collection on Aug. 6. Ferst Foundation members came to the party, and everyone ate pancakes. The students have raised at least $72 since Aug. 3, and the church will throw another party every time the students raise enough money to sponsor five children, Randolph said.

Kaitlyn Herron, 6, of Toccoa, Ga., said she had a lot of fun at the party. She said giving money to the program will help the underprivileged kids while they go through different grades in school, and she feels good about giving the money.

“I think our teachers have been proud of us,” Kaitlyn said.

Shauna von Hanstein, the executive director for the Ferst Foundation, said that over the last few years there has been a trend of more younger children contributing to her organization.

The foundation is operating in 46 counties in Georgia, and the goal is eventually to provide books for children in every county within Georgia. Children receive books monthly through the foundation.

“It is quite common for classrooms to band to together to do something as a group,” von Hanstein said. “Once they have that experience, they are more likely to do that as individuals.”

Blake Ward, 6, of Dewy Rose, Ga., said he also learned about how to count money, and it felt great to donate the money.

Charity Parker of Commerce, Ga., said her son Noah, 6, has become more aware of children who are underprivileged since he started participating in the program.

“He has been very excited the whole time,” Parker said. “He talks about it all of the time. He is excited about being able to supply books to people that don’t have them.”

Randolph said the kids have been excited about bringing in their titles, which are collected on Wednesdays and Sundays.

“Our goal is to challenge other people to consider the Ferst Foundation,” he said. “If a bunch of preschoolers can, in nine to 10 months, raise enough money to sponsor 10 kids, that should be motivation for all of us.”