NFSSE’s Junior Civitan Club joined forces with Blessing Bags International to aid our local homeless population.
The project involves assembling bags which contain socks, snacks, and hygiene products in easy to carry Ziploc bags. Students will be able to deliver the bags to any homeless people they encounter when they’re out in the community. “Every time I see a homeless person when I’m going to or coming from school it’s heartbreaking when you realize they don’t have a place to call home or insurance to take care of medical needs,” says Matias O. who is President of the Junior Civitan Club. “These bags are really easy to make, and they’re going to make a difference in peoples’ lives.”
The club was guided by Jennifer Ohaneson from Blessing Bags International which travels around the country encouraging service to less fortunate. “Whether it’s just a couple kids or a big group like this, everyone seems to have a good time, and by them also giving away the bags they’re seeing the whole process of serving,” explains Ohaneson. “While these bags are for the homeless, they can also be made to help day laborers, crisis pregnancy centers, shelters, elderly, orphans, and it’s something that families can do together.”
In the past 20-months her family has traveled across 37-states to spread the message that service doesn’t have to be big to make a difference.
Within an hour of starting the assembly line process, our students put together more than five dozen of the bags. Each student took one bag home, and the rest will be available for pickup at this weekend’s Holiday on the Farm.