NHS chapter awarded grant from NASSP

Students will collect gently used clothing and pajamas, new socks and underwear, books, arts and crafts supplies, diapers, and more for Cradles to Crayons.

Made possible by a grant from the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), Truman’s National Honor Society (NHS) chapter will plan to take a service trip to Cradles to Crayons in Philadelphia.

“Mrs. Gregory informed me of a grant we could apply for to possibly get extra funding for our NHS group service project this year and I filled out an application,” said Alisha Knight, chapter president. “I wanted the opportunity to give our members a service trip this year since we are not able to go farther than the school building most years.”

Plans are now in the works to use the grant money toward hosting a donation drive for Cradles and Crayons. The nonprofit organization provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with essential items for home, school and play. This includes new or gently used clothing and pajamas, new socks and underwear, books, arts and crafts supplies, diapers, and more.

NHS members will plan to bring the collected donations to Cradles to Crayon’s Giving Factory in Philadelphia when they volunteer. NHS members will quality check, sort, package and prepare new and gently used donations that will be distributed to kids in the Philadelphia region.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate among the nation’s ten largest cities with three in five children living in poverty. Across most of the U.S., three basic needs  — food, housing and energy — are supported by government safety net programs, but not clothing. Cradles to Crayons uses the term “Clothing Insecurity” to formally recognize the issue and increase awareness of this need.
Truman’s NHS looks forward to helping Cradles to Crayons raise awareness and provide for children in local communities.