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The Portsmouth Abbey School community, through its annual Clothe-A-Child effort, raised $10,605 this year to help clothe local children and teens in need. Since the program began in 1990, $133,248 has been raised by Abbey students, allowing the School to purchase enough winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves and other items to clothe 4,117 children.
The funds, raised primarily by the students through a wide variety of on-campus, grassroots fundraising initiatives over a one-week period, allowed the School to purchase the clothing for underprivileged youth throughout Newport County and in Fall River, MA, and Central Falls, RI. The campaign takes place every December, and students undertake numerous activities to raise as much money as possible for the cause. The effort is spearheaded by student members of S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and the Medical Services staff.
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In order to raise funds, the student residential houses hold hamburger, taco, ice cream and grilled cheese sales, sing "Carol-grams" delivered to surprised and delighted recipients, hold raffles, and have a school-wide "dress-down day." This year, students and houseparents in St. Brigid's House subjected themselves to a "polar plunge" in the frigid waters of Narragansett Bay, all in the name of raising funds for the campaign. School faculty, staff and parents also pitch in to help.
Area social services agencies receiving the clothing include: the Salvation Army in Newport, RI, and Fall River, Mass.; the Boys and Girls Club of Newport; Lucy's Hearth (a transitional shelter for homeless women and their children); two elementary schools in Central Falls, RI; Job Corp. (a federally run school that provides job training for adolescents) in Exeter, RI; Hathaway School in Portsmouth; the Portsmouth Middle School; and the Martin Luther King Center, in Newport.
Kudos to the Portsmouth Abbey students, led by representatives of S.A.D.D., and the Medical Services team for another a great effort this year, and thanks to the entire Portsmouth Abbey School community, including current parents and alumni, for your generosity. Special thanks to the Florence Burden Foundation and the Monastery for their contributions as well.