Middle School Helping Hands Club

Finding ways to make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable among us has been our goal as members of the Middle School Helping Hands club.  In the fall, we researched organizations dedicated to serving the homeless and decided to support Heart 2 Hart.  Three days a week, members of Heart 2 Hart travel through the streets of Detroit to serve a nutritious lunch, hand out comfort bags filled with toiletries, food, and clothing items, and offer guidance for added support.  During this particularly brutal winter, we were anxious to do something to help.  Several bake sales and drives at school allowed our club to pack 100 comfort bags filled with socks, t-shirts, toothbrushes and other toiletries, granola bars, and fruit that were then delivered to the homeless in Metro Detroit. 

Winter session brought about a new cause.....

We learned of Weiss Children's Advocacy Center in Flint, serving children who have been severely abused and are now in foster care.  The center provides a safe, comforting environment for the children to gather, play, interact with other children and receive counseling and support.   Hearing of their need, our club spent several weeks making 45 fleece blankets.  The blankets were then paired with stuffed animals, books and comfort bags.  We then coordinated a party at the center complete with games, crafts, and food for the children.  It was the highlight of our year when we were able to deliver the gifts we had gathered and made to the children.  This was just the beginning of a partnership we will continue to foster and was certainly an experience we will never forget. Stephanie Anton, and eight grader and Country Day says, "When we entered the center, we were delighted that we saw so many smiles around the room; children that came from such challenging backgrounds, finally getting some joy and hope for a brighter future. It was amazing to us how one toy could make a child ecstatic, and forget for a while some of their bad thoughts."

Helping Hands Club sponsors, Mrs. Moeller and Mrs. Pohl have been amazed by the enthusiasm, creativity and dedication of its members and have truly enjoyed the 'spirit of giving' that has permeated this caring group of students.  It has been wonderful to watch the mentoring 8th grade members of the club have provided for it's younger members and the leadership skills that have emerged as a result of our service to others.