Providence Academy Cereal Drive Helps Feed A Community In Need

(May 12^th, 2009) – On May 12^th a group of seventh grade students from Providence Academy made a delivery of 258 boxes of cereal to Simpson Housing Services in Minneapolis.  SHS provides emergency based shelter for homeless men and women, as well as transitional living, affordable housing opportunities, and support services for community members experiencing homelessness.

Earlier in the 2008-09 school year, prior to their May donation, Providence Middle School students provided SHS emergency shelters with sandwiches.  The small meals were given to individuals using the emergency shelter services for consumption during hours when shelter operations closed to organize for their daily 6:00 p.m. reopening.

Following the sandwich drive PA faculty member Deb Spears learned of SHS’s need for dry cereal while reviewing the Volunteer Connection on the SHS website. To help service the need at SHS, Spears engaged the Middle School students in friendly competition.  Students in grades six, seven and eight, as well as the faculty, went head to head, racing to raise the largest number of donated boxes of dry cereal.  A number of children from the winning grade level, seventh grade with 91 boxes of cereal, as well as Student Council members accompanied their donations to SHS.  It was a chance to view their service to the community at work.

Generously matching the 257 total boxes collected, General Mills, Inc. of Golden Valley brought the grand total to 516 boxes of cereal.  “This donation represents the largest amount of cereal ever collected for Simpson House,” said Christine Geise, SHS Volunteer Services Manager, “It will save money in the SHS budget, and will provide the 70 daily residents, in each facility, with breakfast options.  We are very thankful for the generosity of Providence Academy and General Mills.”

Said Spears of the students effort, “This drive put the virtues of generosity and courtesy into full bloom!  It really illustrated the power of our community, teamwork, and that the small things can make a real difference.”

The Providence community continues developing new ways to engage in service to the community by working in partnership with SHS and other local agencies striving to make a difference in the lives of others.

Middle School students from Providence Academy display boxed cereal donations.  Over 250 boxes were collected by the students, and the total number collected was augmented through a generous matching program offered by local company General Mills, Inc.

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