Category Archives: News from GiftsToGive

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  • Evening Volunteering .. Thursday, May10, 5-8pm. Put it on your calendar!

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  • #GiftsToGiveThanks

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  • Adult Volunteers NEEDED!

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  • Saturdays, 9am to 2pm! Thrift Store MAGIC!

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• Stories – Youth Philanthropy

  • What’s right with University Students? BSU students talk for themselves!

    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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  • Elementary Stars

    

    Parker students present GiftsToGive CEO Jim Stevens
    with a check for $382.96.

    With the support of Parker Elementary School Principal Paul Fay, teacher Tamara Wells-Reynold’s and her 4th grade After School Art Club raised $382.96, from raffle ticket sales of their art work.

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  • Volunteer Jillian Zucco crowned Miss Massachusetts

    

    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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  • Listening to Olivia, eighth grade philanthropist!

    

    Youth Philanthropist Olivia

    We see thousands of student volunteers every year, most are amazing! Some are extraordinary and then there is Olivia. To call Olivia super extraordinary or unbelievable, would be an understatement!

    Olivia has volunteered with us for five months and in that time has directly helped hundreds of local children receive clothes, books, toys and other basic essentials. Recently she arrived with bags and bags full of brand new items to donate.

    We asked her to tell us in writing what was going on and here is what she told us – ” I was first introduced to GiftsToGive while on a field trip with my fellow classmates and teachers from the Albert F. Ford Middle School here in Acushnet. After spending half of a school day volunteering in the building, I decided I would begin coming back throughout the summer. Through the course of the summer I worked to assemble clothing packages for children. When I first assembled the packages, I was blown away by how many orders there were to be filled.

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  • Meeting Lyla

    Last Saturday, we met a most remarkable girl, seven year-old philanthropist Lyla.

    We see thousands of children every year and most are special, some beyond words, some are extra special, some are even extraordinary and then there is Lyla. I say this because this seven year-old had processed and understood how lucky she was and felt she needed to act on her feelings.

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  • Bishop Connolly Students Define Youth Philanthropy

    

    Matthew, Jonathan and Arthur

    When people talk to us about what is wrong with kids today; we smile and listen politely, then reply with a recent story about Matthew, Jonathan and Arthur.

    Read the local paper’s story here.

    Johnathan who is a sophomore at Bishop Connolly High School has been volunteering with us since he was in the 7th grade. Jonathan has set a record for helping Newport County Rhode Island families and is now recruiting fellow students to do the same.

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  • Abby shares her birthday – again!

    

    Abby and her family

    Nine year-old Abby is in the 4th grade and lives over an hour away from New Bedford.

    For the second year in a row, Abby asked friends coming to her birthday party not to bring her any gifts. Instead, she wanted them to bring new things that she could donate to GiftsToGive.
    

    Abby likes to bring everything down to the mill with her sister, Maggie. Maggie is in the 2nd grade and just turned seven.

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  • Our Student Intern, Jason, is in South Africa and Needs our Financial Help Now!

    

    Jason Woolf

    Jason spent his senior year at Dartmouth High School, as our Social Entrepreneurial Intern. He then went on to Watson University, NYU and is currently at University of Cape Town.

    We think Jason is a bright and shining light and a most perfect example of giving and service. Jason has also become a “For Real” Social Entrepreneur.

    This project is important to Jason and we’re committed to help him start-up and launch – please help us, to help him. We’ll pass along 100% of all monies raised!

    Check out Umbiyozo.org to learn more about Jason’s project and to make an online donation.

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  • Student Intern SHOOTS FOR THE MOON!

    

    Student Intern, Molly

    * UPDATE
    

    Molly’s quest to collect 1,000 gently used sports balls has hit snag after snag, then last week something positive happened.

    The back story – Initially Molly went to the Bruins and asked for help in the form of a player coming to New Bedford and she and her hockey team would host a skating event. The Bruins could not send a player but did offer some of their surplus equipment – so that is working itself through. Then Molly went to the Celtics for help and they also could not send a player down to New Bedford. (You can see Molly’s letters to them below).

    The positive thing that happened last week came in the form of Boston University and FYSOP! Sixty-eight incoming BU freshmen spent two days at the mill helping us process clothes (we were at the critical process place of swapping out summer clothes for winter clothes and getting ready for back to school.) See that story here.

    Last week we received an email from Anthony Moccia asking to be connected to Molly. Who is Anthony Moccia you ask? Anthony is a senior at BU and was one of the chaperones for the the visiting BU freshmen. Here is Antony’s email –

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  • Kids Will Be Kids – But Not Always!

    Sometimes … kids will be kids and sometimes kids will be philanthropists!

    We hosted a terrific group of  students this week, from our neighborhood school, The Albert F. Ford Middle School in Acushnet. One hundred-eleven 7th graders. They arrived full of energy and curiosity and left tired, proud and with an enduring understanding of how very lucky they were. Tired from all the work they did. Proud of what they accomplished and with a new sense of their place in the world, of their responsibility to themselves and to help others.

    Photos from our day are here.

    We asked if one of the students would report back to us about their experience. Here is what student Elizabeth Teixeira had to say –

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  • Listening to Wendy – A student’s perspective on service.

    Tabor Academy student Wendy Liu accepted the assignment of reporting back on her group’s volunteer experience yesterday. Here is what she had to say – “September 22 may be another mundane Tuesday for most students, but not for those at Tabor. Today was our Service Day which takes place every semester; students and faculty members volunteer in various places, one of which is GiftsToGive.

    Some from Tabor have been to GiftsToGive multiple times, while others stepped into the factory for the first time today. Caitlin, a junior to Tabor, is new to this activity. Today she sorted clothes for adults and kids. She recounts that the most difficult part of the job was to decide what to re-cycle because she wanted to “keep everything.” In addition, the day at GiftsToGive has been influential, for she believes that their Directors’ empowering speech makes people “reevaluate [their] circumstance[s]” and rethink how fortunate they are.

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  • Teen Artists for Change

    

    Independently United founder Kaityn Kenny presents Jim Stevens with a check for $700 – the proceeds from their debut “pop-up gallery” auction.

    Independently United is a consortium of SouthCoast High School artists, sponsored by GiftsToGive, who exhibit at local “pop-up” galleries and auction their art to support local causes they believe in.

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• News from GiftsToGive

  • Family Thieves

    This is a sad story. For the last several weeks we’ve been experiencing a total mess, on our drop-off deck, when we come in on Mondays. Read More »

  • Musical Chairs Contest for New Bicycle from Yesteryear Cyclery!

    2017  Educator’s Appreciation Dinner for ALMA del MAR (Video is a gift from Annette Scrocca) Read More »

  • Outside sign demo

    This was the demo for our new flat panel sign. 96 inches wide, 30 inches tall. We WILL NOT be scrolling messages, just one, stationary, message Read More »