RAHWAY , NJ— Grover Cleveland Elementary School has announced the overwhelming success of its recent community service project, a collaborative effort with Inspire Youth NJ and Healing Hugs for the annual Youth NJ Stuffed Animal Drive. This initiative brought together the entire school community to provide comfort and cheer to children spending the holidays in the hospital.
The school mobilized students, staff and families to collect hundreds of brand-new stuffed animals. The project was spearheaded by the Grover Cleveland Student Council, whose members dedicated their time and creativity to preparing the gifts.
The students’ involvement went far beyond collection:
- Personalized comfort: Each gift package included a special coloring page card designed by the students. The cards were pre-printed with the heartfelt message: “Packed with care by the Grover Cleveland Student Council.”
- Heartfelt messages: Student Council members personalized these cards by writing individual, thoughtful messages of encouragement and warmth for the recipients.
- Ready-to-go activity: To provide immediate engagement, the cards were paired with a small handful of crayons and then placed into festive gift-wrap bags along with the newly collected stuffed animals.
- The final touch: The students took pride in meticulously wrapping and packaging every single stuffed animal, ensuring each gift was ready to bring a smile to a child’s face.
The finished gift bags were delivered to Inspire Youth NJ, who will distribute them through their network, including their partner, Healing Hugs, to various local hospitals and pediatric centers.
School leadership emphasized the valuable lessons in empathy and service learned by the students through this drive.
“The enthusiasm and dedication shown by our students in this project is truly inspiring,” said Principal Lee Andrea Garvin. “It is critical for our young learners to understand the power of giving back and recognizing the needs of others in our community. Seeing them carefully select a stuffed animal and then write a personalized note proves that their hearts are as big as their efforts. This partnership with Inspire Youth NJ and Healing Hugs allows our students to be agents of positive change.”
Assistant Principal Alisha Lee-Ellis also highlighted the importance of student involvement in character development.
“This drive was more than just collecting toys; it was a lesson in compassion, collaboration and executive function,” added Lee-Ellis. “The Student Council took ownership of every step, from organizing the collection to the detailed packaging and wrapping. The personalized card component ensures that each gift carries a unique, heartfelt hug from Grover Cleveland Elementary. We are incredibly proud of their commitment to spreading kindness.”
Article by Dyan McMillen.
Photos Courtesy of Miriam Septimus
