MS GIVE students collect coats for Schenectady Battered Women's Shelter

Students in the Middle School's GIVE service-learning program collected 81 coats to be donated to the Schenectady Battered Women's Shelter at the YWCA in Schenctady. The coats range in size from infants to women's large.

Teaching Assistant Sharon Dereski said the students chose to send the coats to the children and women at the shelter because of the need. "They considered a few places but thought the shelter was the place that was in the most need," said Dereski.

The students washed and mended the coats, when needed, during their lunch periods, said Kristin Barnes and Emily Bova, two grade 8 students who, along with Kim Cullen, oversaw the project and became very hands on with it. They made posters to hang around the school and made appeals over the Middle School Broadcasting Company (MSBC), the in-school television studio, during morning announcements.

Melissa Hale, a child case manager at the shelter, collected the coats and said there is always a great need at the shelter. "Especially this time of year; kids want to go out and make a snowman, but they may not have a coat," said Hale. She said the shelter can accommodate up to 11 children and their mothers at a time.