For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-742-3922
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Mansfield Public Schools Wrap Up Several Successful Holiday Fundraising Efforts

Clothes, Food and Toy Drives to Benefit Those in Need Locally

MANSFIELD — Superintendent Teresa Murphy is pleased to announce that Mansfield Public Schools recently completed several school and community fundraising efforts to benefit people in need this holiday season.

“The holiday season is about giving back and helping those in need and here in Mansfield I’m so proud of all of the wonderful efforts that we have seen from each of our schools and by members of the community who have all come together to help a variety of local groups and organizations this year,” Superintendent Murphy said.

Roland Green Preschool

A sock, underwear and pajama drive was sponsored by the Roland Green Preschool Parent Group to support West Side Benevolent Circle in Mansfield. The clothing drive ran from Nov. 18 to Dec. 6.

Robinson Elementary School

Staff at the Robinson Elementary School sponsored a Mitten Tree to support West Side Benevolent Circle in Mansfield from Nov. 14 to Dec. 6. Staff members chose a mitten from the tree which identified wishlist items for a specific child in the community. Items ranged from clothing to toys and books.

Jordan/Jackson Elementary School

Jordan/Jackson Elementary staff supported West Side Benevolent Circle by choosing a paper hand print which listed items for a local child. Wishlist items including clothing, small electronics, books, arts and crafts supplies and more were collected from Nov. 7 to Dec. 2.

Qualters Middle School

• A food drive was sponsored by students and staff at Qualters Middle School to benefit Our Daily Bread Food Pantry in Mansfield. There were three collection periods: soup and cereal that ended Nov. 15, kid-friendly snacks ending on Nov. 26 and family/holiday dinner foods by Dec. 6. Over 4,000 items were collected overall, filling 116 boxes.
• The QMS Successful Student Service Learning Project collected items to make 50 “Chemo Care Bags.” Donations of new gloves, hats, small toys, puzzles and coloring supplies were collected between Nov. 7 and Dec. 2 and will be donated to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute over December break.
• A Giving Tree was sponsored by the QMS Student Council to benefit West Side Benevolent Circle from Nov. 7 to Dec. 2. Clothing items, games, books, arts and crafts and athletic items were collected.

Mansfield High School

At Mansfield High School, the Class of 2020 held a Snowflake Gift Card Drive to support teenagers in the community. Gift card donations were accepted so that teens in need could purchase items of their choice.

MESA (Mansfield Elementary Schools Association)

• The Mansfield Elementary Schools Association’s (MESA) annual fall food drive took place between Nov. 9-27 and was an enormous success, with elementary students, staff and families donating over 1,900 pounds of food. All donated items were date-checked, sorted, boxed, labeled and donated to Our Daily Bread in Mansfield.
• MESA also assisted West Side Benevolent Circle with their Gifts of Hope 2019 Annual Clothing Drive. Donation boxes were located at the entrances of the Robinson and Jordan/Jackson Elementary Schools. Donations of new waterproof coats, gloves, mittens, hats, socks and underwear were collected in all children’s sizes during the month of November.

Districtwide/Community Efforts

• Assisting the Rotary Club of Mansfield, students decorated posters for Toys for Tots donation boxes, which are located in Mansfield schools and throughout the town.
• School Committee member Linda Fernando presented Superintendent Murphy with the idea of holding a personal care supplies drive to benefit members of the community in need. Items collected from Oct. 25 through Nov. 12 included shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion and other hygiene-related items.Donations will benefit Our Daily Bread Food Pantry in Mansfield, West Side Benevolent Circle in Mansfield, New Hope, Inc. in Attleboro, and Mansfield Public Schools Health Services Department and school nurses.

  The Mansfield High School Student Service Corp. assisted with the collection boxes.

“We want to thank all of the students, staff and community members for their generous donations and helping to make each one of these projects so successful,” Superintendent Murphy said.

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