The Langley School community came together for the school’s first-ever Day of Giving on Saturday, March 17 to pack 75,000 meals for the people of Puerto Rico. Photo contributed
As part of The Langley School’s culture of giving, commitment to service learning, and 75th anniversary celebration, the school community came together for Langley’s first-ever Day of Giving on Saturday, March 17 to pack 75,000 meals for the people of Puerto Rico who were impacted by Hurricane Maria.
In partnership with the Outreach Program, a nonprofit that organizes food-packing events to support those in need at home and abroad, The Langley School mobilized more than 500 volunteers – including students, parents, teachers, alumni, and friends – to pack meals in one-hour shifts. To cover the cost of each 25-cent meal, the school raised $18,750 from its families and several sponsors. Langley students in preschool through eighth grade contributed to this effort as well, raising more than $6,400 in quarter collections to pay for more than 25,000 meals.
“This is the first time we have organized a school-wide service project of this magnitude,” says Head of School Dr. Elinor Scully, noting that the project was a community effort led by parent volunteers. “The event was a wonderful opportunity for us to make an impact, while also bringing past and present members of our community together for a meaningful, shared experience.”
The Langley School’s Day of Giving meal-packing was the culminating event of its inaugural Week of Giving which ran March 12-16. Throughout the week, the Langley community collected items for five student-led donation drives. Students in grades 3-8 submitted proposals for donation drive projects, and five winning proposals were selected benefiting a range of organizations, including SHARE of McLean, Stanton Elementary, Doorways for Women & Families, A Wider Circle, and Wishing You Lots of Love. Students coordinated each drive and developed publicity plans to collect baby products, children’s books, school supplies, toiletries, nonperishable foods, and more for those in need.
“We wanted to give our students an opportunity to take on a leadership role with these projects,” says Dean of Students Brent Locke. “They not only learned the importance of giving back, but also gained valuable skills as they wrote proposals, organized each drive, and came up with advertising strategies to promote their project.”