Jesus Creed
A cold and snowy winter night didn’t stop more than 100 Todd Hall students and parents from gathering Tuesday evening to assemble comfort packages for homeless children served by Maryville Academy Crisis Nursery in Chicago.
“Project Night Night” was Todd Hall’s third annual service learning project, a yearly event taking place each February that brings the school together to help support a chosen charity.
A national initiative that donates more than 25,000 care packages to shelters like Maryville each year, Todd Hall did its part to help Project Night Night by packing canvas tote bags with a book, a blanket and a stuffed animal to help comfort children being served by the shelter.
With the help of a parents and a group of teachers, the children moved through four stations set up at the front of the school and “shopped” for a child by choosing an item from each table for their care package….
Last year’s service learning project raised $3,000 for Pennies for Patients, a charity that supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In 2011, the school assembled care packages for victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Maryville Academy provides residential care, health and family support services and youth development programs to more than 2,500 children ages newborn through six years old who are experiencing a severe disruptive crisis or are challenged with an urgent family situation.
The Maryville Crisis Nursery is one of six crisis nurseries located in Illinois, and is the only crisis nursery located in the Chicago area.
“We hope to connect the project to Valentine’s Day by providing a little extra comfort this time of year to the kids who need it most,” said Laura Barringer, gifted specialist for Todd Hall.
It may be worth observing that said Laura Barringer is our daughter! Woo hoo!
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