First aid items and camping items are displayed before being placed into a backpack for individuals experiencing homelessness as part of a program by Works 4 U, a New Bedford based organization that helps people find jobs, and the recipiaent of $300 from Leroy L .Wood School students. Submitted photo.
Press Release
Second grade students from the Leroy Wood School in Fairhaven donated $300 to help the homeless in their community. Under the leadership of teachers Amy Ingemi, Carol Tynan, Tess Tieu, and Paula Desrosiers, the second graders earned the money by running a school store for one week this past school year.
The students would set up and break down the store every day. They had to learn how to count money and promote their store. They worked different shifts and also learned about providing customer service, basic accounting, and basic economics including how to price products. The students at the school would come to the second graders’ store and purchase Smencils, water bottle stickers, and home-made bracelets.
In the lead up to the store’s opening, the students spent weeks making a variety of bracelets to market and sell. Once everything was sold, the class took everything to the next level by donating the proceeds to local charities. Mrs. Ingemi said, “the highlight of the project was choosing a local charity to donate the profits to, instilling a sense of social responsibility and community service in the students.”
One of the recipients of the donations was Works 4 U, Inc., a local non-profit with the mission of ending homelessness through employment. Works 4 U used the funds to purchase numerous backpacks and camping items to fill them with: insect repellent, sunscreen, antiseptic gel, band aids, wet wipes, and a flashlight that doubles as a tent lantern. The backpack kits were distributed to individuals who are experiencing homelessness in the local community and who attend a weekly work project to help improve the look of the downtown New Bedford by picking up litter every Saturday morning.
Trey Whalley, President of Works 4 U, Inc. said of the second grader’s project, “It is refreshing and inspiring to see our community’s children being so well educated about personal finance, business, and economics while at the same time seeing them give back to their community! Those kids have enterprising minds, great teachers, and big hearts!”
•••
Click here to download the 09-05-24 issue: 09-05-24 OLOA
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal
