HOLLAND, MI – A college pantry in Holland is offering households in want with free winter clothes, college provides, private hygiene merchandise and extra, because of donations from the group.
The Energy H Retailer, positioned at Holland Public Colleges Longfellow Elementary College, opens as soon as a month for college kids and households experiencing monetary disaster or hardship, permitting them to buy on a regular basis necessities without charge. .
The shop is a collaboration between Holland Public Colleges, the Ottawa Group College Community (OCSN) and the Michigan Division of Well being and Human Providers’ Pathways to Potential Program, in line with an announcement from the Ottawa Space Intermediate College District. Ottawa.
Serving 21 colleges in seven Ottawa County districts, OCSN is a complete service community that makes use of the “group colleges” mannequin to make college buildings a neighborhood hub the place households can join with assets and companies. assist from your complete group.
By offering households with important provides they could not be capable of afford, the Energy H Store helps college students deal with reaching their full potential within the classroom, mentioned Lauren Grey, OCSN coordinator for Holland Excessive College.
“Having the ability to assist an HPS household with free home items in an honest retail surroundings helps offset their month-to-month prices, alleviates the monetary stress lots of our households face, and creates a greater alternative for college kids to thrive in a faculty surroundings. mentioned Grey. in a sentence.
All merchandise discovered within the retailer are donated by particular person donors, native companies and group organizations, in line with the press launch. The shop is stocked with gadgets comparable to college provides, backpacks, cleansing provides, seasonal clothes together with winter coats and boots, and private hygiene merchandise.
The shop is open to any household of a Holland Public Colleges pupil, district officers informed MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. The shop was first launched in October 2022 and is open as soon as a month.
Holland Superintendent Nick Cassidy mentioned the useful resource is vastly useful to many households in his district.
“It’s unrealistic to imagine pupil will study to the most effective of their capability if their household has problem offering footwear, clothes, college provides, or different home items,” Cassidy mentioned in an announcement to MLive. “That is why the Energy H Store is such an awesome asset to households who attend HPS.”
The shop additionally demonstrates the ability of partnerships between communities and their native colleges, the superintendent mentioned.
“That is one other nice instance of the constructive that may occur to a complete metropolis when everybody comes collectively to put money into public colleges,” Cassidy mentioned.
Mallory Timmer, OCSN coordinator for Holland West Elementary College, mentioned the free pantry wouldn’t be potential with out the assist of group companions.
“It’s extremely encouraging for our group to see that not solely does our group see the necessity in our group, however our group itself needs to step up and assist,” Timmer mentioned.
Final month, a group associate stepped ahead to donate dozens of Christmas timber and decorations to the shop to assist unfold vacation cheer to households in want.
Sue Woodward, the founding father of “David’s Sparks of Pleasure,” heard about Energy H Store and was impressed by what they had been doing, in line with the press launch. “David’s Sparks of Pleasure” is called after her late son, who beloved Christmas.
Woodward donated synthetic Christmas timber, ornaments, ornaments, stockings, tree skirts, and lights for the shop. Due to Woodward’s donation, 32 households walked out of the Energy H Store in December with a free Christmas tree and decorations to brighten their houses for the vacations, officers mentioned.
“I used to be so impressed with how HPS helps their households that I knew this was the place I needed to present away my timber,” Woodward mentioned in a ready assertion.
Grey mentioned the donation helped present how the Energy H retailer could be a “nice blessing” to households.
“One household informed me they had been so excited to lastly have a Christmas tree,” Grey mentioned.
Upcoming Energy H Store days and hours might be up to date on the district web site. Donations to the Energy H Store will be made by the group’s Amazon Want Checklist.
The shop might be open from four:30 pm to six pm on January 12 and February 2.
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