While generally speaking, children look forward to the last day of school, at Friendship Central School in Friendship, New York, nearly 300 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade (and their parents) received a special surprise thanks to the supporters of Americans Helping Americans® as they completed the academic year in June.
In addition to shipping food boxes to the school and providing grant funding for school administrators to purchase the specific school supplies needed by each student, Americans Helping Americans® recently shipped 500 dental kits for distribution to students and families.
The response was overwhelming, to put it mildly, according to the principal’s secretary, Jackie Dent.
“I want to take a moment to share with you the ‘excitement’ surrounding the amazing dental kits you sent the community,” Jackie reported to Americans Helping Americans® Executive Director Cameron Krizek.
“These were a smashing hit!!”
She explained that instead of simply handing out the dental kits containing toothpaste, toothbrushes, and dental floss, she and an elementary teacher produced some age-appropriate worksheets (crossword puzzles, etc.) associated with dental hygiene that the teachers used in their classrooms.
Then, during the elementary assembly, which included visiting parents, she showed a video about the importance of proper dental hygiene.
“At the end of the assembly, every student received a dental kit that you graciously sent to us,” she reported, adding, “We also had dental kits on a table during the high school awards ceremony.”
In addition, “so many adults received these kits with such gratitude that evening.”
Jackie admitted being “pleasantly surprised” by the school community’s reaction to the dental kits and commented, “Honestly, this is not something I had ever thought about.
“It did not occur to me that this is really a need… and to the extent that people have responded.”
In addition, Jackie also wanted to thank the supporters of Americans Helping Americans® for the 924 food boxes they received from us this year, noting that the school cannot offer the free breakfast and lunch program this summer – “so these boxes were a welcomed blessing.
“On the last day of school, we brought the pallets out in front of the school, and I handed them to families as they picked up their children.
“The excitement quickly caught on, and teachers were jumping in to help and carrying boxes to people's vehicles...some even offering to drop some off at homes for walkers!”
Not only that, but the bus drivers joined in on the action by loading the food boxes onto their buses “so they could distribute to families of the bus kids!!”
Previously, Americans Helping Americans® had also provided support to the school’s students and families in the form of necessary school supplies for every student from a list of items from Jackie (valued at more than $54,000), prompting the principal to report, “Our school and community expressed a tremendous sigh of relief and appreciation upon hearing the news that your organization was helping us out.
“The small community of Friendship, New York, is full of pride but experiences the hardships of small-town rural America and is located in Allegheny County, which has one of the highest levels of poverty within the state.
“Our school engages in many activities to help our students and their families offset this economic disadvantage.
“We will also use your generous donation as an example for Friendship to pay it forward and help other organizations and communities such as ours that experience hardship and need.”
And as for Jackie herself,
“Your gifts of love are HUGE to this community. Thank you simply does not express our gratitude to the fullest extent.”