Letter to Selectmen: Volunteer Opportunities in Mansfield

Dear Mr. Ross and Selectmen,

 

            I thought that you may be interested in learning about the positive impact that the community of students, teachers and families at Hands-On Montessori School is having on our Mansfield community. 

 

            Last year, Hands-On Montessori School teachers, students and their families donated hundreds of volunteer hours, clothing items and over $828.00 to local and global charities.  In 2010, those charities included:

 

Our Daily Bread, Mansfield- HOMS Students and their families donated over 560 non perishable food items as an extension of student birthday celebrations.

 

Clothes to Go Projects-  HOMS families organized and collected over 100 articles of children’s clothing which were donated to Clothes to Go, a Mansfield charity that provides free clothing to anyone in need throughout MA, RI and around the Globe. 

 

Cradles to Crayons- The HOMS community contributed to the more than 1,100 coats and jackets were collected and donated to this charitable foundation supplying poor and homeless children with clothing and supplies.

 

Westside Benevolent Center-:  Last holiday season members of the HOMS community donated gifts and gift cards so that the older children and teenagers on the extensive list of families in need would have Christmas gifts.

 

Haiti Relief- In February 2010, HOMS students collected loose change totaling $140.00 to donate to Haiti Relief. 

 

Mansfield Animal Shelter- The students collected, sorted, counted and rolled loose change and made a $500.00 donation to the Friends of Mansfield Animal Shelter.

 

Mansfield Relay for Life- The Director and co-owner of the school, Emily Miller, is a recent breast cancer survivor having been diagnosed and treated last year for the disease.  HOMS families, led by the school’s co-owner and Administrator, formed a relay team in her honor and raised nearly $11,000.00 for cancer research. 

 

            This year our generous community continues to have a positive impact. From September through December of 2011, we have contributed to our local community through the following charities:

 

Our Daily Bread, Mansfield- HOMS Students and their families donated over 12 bags of non-perishable food items and $80.00 in gift cards in November and we continue to collect non-perishable food items as an extension of our students’ birthday celebrations.

 

Clothes to Go Project 2011-  HOMS families organized and collected over 280 articles of children’s clothing which were donated to Clothes to Go, a Mansfield charity that provides free clothing to anyone in need throughout MA, RI and around the Globe.  These clothes were collected, sorted and folded by our students.

 

Bea a Santa to a Senior:  HOMS has made sure that no Senior on the Be a Santa to a Senior’s list through the Chamber of commerce is without a sponsor this year. 

 

Toys for Tots:  We have a nearly full bin of unwrapped toys to donate to the Mansfield Rotary’s collection of toys going to the West Side Benevolent Circle and the Marine Corps.

 

Our school’s effort to give back to our local and global communities is an integral part of our curriculum called “Peace Education,” something unique to Montessori pedagogy. Through these projects, we strive to reinforce to the children the joy of sharing with those in need of so many basic things.  Not only do the students get a chance to help others, but they are learning at the same time. Our school was recognized by the UN in 2005 for these efforts.

 

I look forward to seeing what our amazing HOMS community can do for the remainder of the year and into the future here in Mansfield.

 

Best regards,

 

 

 

Emily Miller

Director

Hands-On Montessori School