Middle School Kids Helping Kids with

Birthday-in-a-Box Program

Through the Family-to-Family’s Birthday-In-A-Box Program, Middle School Health Teacher Mrs. Jodi Maurici and her advisory students “adopted” four children  from shelters who receive assistance from VIBS (Victims Information Bureau). “Family-to-Family is a non-for-profit organization,” Mrs. Maurici explained, “that connects families in need with other families that can help. Their website is family-to-family.org and they are a phenomenal resource!”

 As they worked to assemble, organize, and box a “birthday party” for each child, the students shared their thoughts about the project:

“Everybody brought something to fill up the boxes. Things like cake mix, books, toys, goody bags, and candy,” stated enthusiastic advisory students Franchesca Piro, Gianna Scoleri, Taylor Grandfield, Megan Havranek, Tyler Prior, and Emily Levin. “We brought in boxes and started wrapping them. The next step was to make them look pretty by putting ribbon and bows on them. In our minds, while we were wrapping, we thought how happy we would be making these kids.”

“Helping the less fortunate is definitely heartwarming,” offered Joe Harclerode. “This project made me feel like I was making a huge difference,” while Anthony Etergineoso remarked, “It makes me feel happy to give kids a good birthday and know they will have a smile on their face when they see the presents for their birthday.”

All the students agreed that it was “wonderful that people in this organization (Family-to-Family) created A Birthday-in-a-Box program!”