St. Peter’s School students delivered 160 Giving Bags on Thursday to Harmony House to be distributed to those in need in the Mansfield community. Students collected these items during December as a campus-wide Advent service project.
Inside each Giving Bag are cold-weather items, including hats, gloves, socks, lip balm, and hand warmers. In addition, each bag also includes personal care items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap.
“The Advent Season is one of prayer, penance, and sacrifice, in anticipation of the coming of Jesus’ birth on Christmas, said Laurie McKeon, St. Peter’s Head of School. “Our Giving Bags service project is a meaningful way to teach our students about the many blessings they have been given and that making a sacrifice to others is an integral part of being in service to others in our world.
Students collected items through the month of December, then assembled bags, and delivered them to Harmony House.
“We are so grateful to the students and staff of St. Peter’s School for their generosity and kindness shown to our homeless neighbors. During this time of year, it is especially difficult to experience homelessness because of weather conditions and shelter options being at capacity, said Kelly Blankenship, Executive Director of Harmony House. “As homelessness increases in our area, we at Harmony House must rely on our community partners to help us reach out to those in need with essential items they can’t provide for themselves.”
Staff at Harmony House will distribute the giving bags as needed.
“I look forward to this becoming an annual Advent project for our students,” McKeon said. “Service is a key part of who we are as a Catholic school in addition to our excellent academics and extracurricular programs.”
Harmony House has been assisting homeless individuals and families in a nurturing, supportive atmosphere in Mansfield since 1990. Its mission is to empower homeless citizens in Richland County with a clear path to housing and home.
St. Peter’s School serves students from Montessori through High School and has been a part of the Mansfield community since 1868. Its mission is to create an environment of academic excellence built upon Catholic spirituality and service.
