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Our wonderful friends at Yesteryear Cyclery are hard at work. Got a bike that is in good shape and want to help a local child have it?
Pack 32, Marion
Update: Monday, December 2, 2013 The Scouts of Pack 32 in Marion, made a huge difference today!
In November the scouts participated in their soap box derby and used the event to: help help a local family, collect donations for a food pantry and collecting “gently-used” children’s things for GiftsToGive.
This afternoon, after school, Pack 32 in full force – descended on the mill in a literal caravan of vehicles, full of not only scouts, but the treasure they had collected between themselves and other families in Marion.
Michaelah Noelle Nunes is an amazing young women!
Michaelah at the Miss New Bedford’s Outstanding Teen Competition
Michaelah has competed for 4 years in the Miss New Bedford’s Outstanding Teen pageant.
This is her second consecutive year hosting a community drive to benefit GiftsToGive as part of her chosen platform, titled A Real Life Science Experiment: The Ripple Effect.
Michaelah intends to show others how even the smallest form of contribution, much like a drop in a small pond, can have a ripple effect, reaching far and wide.
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We focused this special holiday on our service learning initiative with local Middle School students. We bused two-hundred students to Normandin Middle School.
Forty high school and college student leaders and select faculty, facilitated a three hour “Teach-in” revolving around the history of the voting rights movement, the activism and specifically, how students made a difference then and can again. The program also focused on the importance of voting and participating citizenship. (Day after local press here).
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Two remarkable young women paid us a visit this afternoon, Fairhaven High School seniors, Maddie and Hannah. They made a gift to us in the form of a check for $660!
They told us a most amazing story. “Jewelry-making is an ordinary activity that many young girls enjoy throughout adolescence. Making friendship bracelets and key chains is a memorable part of our childhood. Last Spring, we reconnected with the hobby by learning the practice of fabricating a sophisticated, marketable bracelet. We spent the spring preparing to sell ‘Good Beads’ at Fairhaven’s annual homecoming fair. ‘Good Beads’ are a variety of beaded bracelets made from wire and macrame string.
We just spent two days with students from the Rocky Hill School in East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
It’s become an annual two day field trip and what’s the best for us is that we get to see students grow – not only in size and maturity but in their coming of age and increased connectiveness to giving and service. Photos from their service days are here.
Rather than explain more – we’d like to share what student Hunter Corbett had to say – ” Our annual Rocky Hill sophomore trip to GiftsToGive is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year. The upperclassmen fondly remember their excursion, and this year’s trip did not fail to live up to our high expectations. I think everyone in my class left with a desire to do more to help people. I know I am definitely going back to GiftsToGive to volunteer again in my free time.
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We met a most remarkable young woman on Saturday, Jessie Barbosa. Photos from our day are here.
Jessie is a student at Bridgewater State University. She organized a day of service with several groups on campus. We asked Jessie to write about their experience, she had this to say – “On Saturday a group of Bridgewater State University students from multiple backgrounds, majors, and ages volunteered their time and services to GiftsToGive in Acushnet. This community service was made possible by a collaboration between The Center of Multicultural Affairs, Men Integrated in Brotherhood and the Community Service Office, which all form part of Bridgewater State University’s clubs and organizations. The students arrived around 9:00am, registered and then received a short orientation, which allowed them to understand the organization’s mission and familiarize themselves with the building.
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Thomas, Allison and Sierra
Thomas, Allison and Sierra are students at U Mass Dartmouth. They’re also representatives for Greek Life on campus. We’ve partnered with the Greek Life Council at UMD to help us connect middle school students to giving and service. We’re starting with their working together on Saturdays at the factory.
Thomas Leman, Student leader had this to say – “Today, we were able to take a few short hours and work at something that’s making life easier for children throughout the SouthCoast. As Greek life students (Phi Sigma Sigma and Chi Phi), we know how fortunate we’ve been to get to college and find familial support in our organizations. We now have a chance to help those less fortunate than us and to be that support for the young boys and girls who volunteer at GiftsToGive. We can be examples of hard work and perseverance to empower other student volunteers to do well in school and life. We look forward to being repeat volunteers and mentors to influence and foster greater success for local youth!”
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Ollie, an 8 year-old, third grader, started a book club at Sippican Elementary in Marion this year.
Parents and Educators organized a holiday party for the book club group and all the kids decided to donate gifts to GiftsToGive instead of a gift exchange among them.
Ollie’s dad told us that it was great for Ollie to be able to learn more about all the kids and families that benefit from their donations.
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We talk a lot, about the power of one. Today we are talking about the power of three; Alexia, Kelvin and Victoria.
On the first Saturday in April, it was blustery, rainy and promised snow! Saturdays are a busy day for us, there are usually over one-hundred student volunteers at the factory helping us inspect, process and organize tons of donations. In the middle of what we like to think of as controlled chaos, in come Alexia, Kelvin and Victoria with a ton of their own donations. They had collected all this wonderful stuff for local children in-need as a part of their SKILLS USA competition at Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School.
Standard Times Story HERE
GiftsToGive Volunteer Jillian Zucco is crowned Miss Massachusetts!
Jillian is truly a bright and shining light and for us a most perfect example of giving and service.
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Last Saturday two representatives of Girl Scout Troop 68123 delivered a ton of hygiene supplies. We were flabbergasted! We never have enough of these type supplies to place in our gifts packages. They’re on a new mission, one of early literacy and they need our help. Please reach out to them if you can help!
We asked their leaders to send us a story, so that we had some context and could share. Here is what they had to say – “The girls in New Bedford Troop #68123 chose to use donated funds they received during their cookie program booth sales to buy baby shampoo, powder, and lotion — based on GiftsToGive stated need for these specific items. They also put together “kits” for adults & children — including shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, combs, and petroleum jelly.