As the holiday season winds down, we would like to share the amazing community support we received to help meet the needs of our MECSD children and families, most notably those from Homer Brink.
Thanks to the generous coat donations from ELOCA (Endwell Leage of Community Action) and the American Hellenic Organization, we were able to give winter coats to 71 children, and have some coats left over to give out as additional needs come up.
Northminster Presbyterian Church and the Lions Club donated 46 Thanksgiving baskets to Homer Brink families, which allowed us to ensure that 119 children had a Thanksgiving meal. In addition, Food and Fire partnered with Visions and Red Barn Technology to donate Thanksgiving meals to our Spartans on the M-EALS program. They served an additional 150 meals to Maine-Endwell families.
This year we had 52 Homer Brink families sign up to receive help for Christmas. The Maine-Endwell staff and community supported these families in a huge way!
- With help from staff, M-EALS, Northminster Presbyterian Church, Tech MD, Wayfare Sports Floors, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Girls Who Run, Core Management, and several private donations, we were able to get Christmas gifts for 109 children. While most of these children are Homer Brink students, we were also able to provide gifts for their siblings, many of whom are former Homer Brink students. In addition to these 109 children, the Elks Club in Vestal adopted siblings of our ELL students, providing gifts for 22 more children.
- Studio 11 opened their barber shop on a Sunday and offered free haircuts to children throughout Broome County. Along with the haircuts, families were treated to hot chocolate and snacks, visits with Santa, and a gift for every child. With limited spaces available, nine of our children were able to participate in this event.
- Karina’s Cookies donated 175 cookie decorating kits to M-EALS. Each kit was handmade and included 3 iced cookies, edible coloring to paint on the cookies, and a paint brush.
- Gault Auto Group donated 20 bikes and helmets to M-EALS, with 10 of these bikes and helmets going to Homer Brink children.
- The Binghamton Country Club donated dozens of pairs of pajamas to help keep our children warm and cozy this holiday season.
- Thanks to past collections and donations from students, staff, and the community, we were able to include a hat and gloves with each Christmas package we sent home.
- When delivering gifts, we discovered that one of our families had been living in an apartment without furniture. Rachel Murat put this need on social media and within twenty minutes community members donated 2 beds and bedding to this family and planned for delivery a couple days later.
Thank you to all who made this possible! Your generosity and support are greatly appreciated!
