An Autumn Harvest Drive-thru event at Gladstone Elementary in mid-November served numerous families of Gladstone Elementary. Donations were collected from churches, community partners and community members of hats, scarves, coats, gloves. The school also received a large donation from After the Harvest of packages of fresh produce.
Teachers sent out fliers and invitations to all of their student’s families, and the 10 volunteers distributed what was collected until they ran out of donations. “The items were given first come, first serve as families drove up to the front of the school in their vehicles,” explained Caylee Charlton, Gladstone counselor. “We brought the items directly to them so they never had to get out of their cars. We had over 60 coats, and even more hats, gloves, socks and scarves. We gave out those items until they were all gone. We had even more food, and what food we had left over we donated to a local food pantry at a church so it could be given to more members in the community.”
Community partners assisting with the project included After the Harvest, The Church at Gladstone HELPS, and Covenant Memorial Baptist Church. “Thank you for all your wonderful contributions to help bring this event together,” said Ms. Charlton. “Thanks to all for your help we were able to donate over 60 coats to children, and even more hats, gloves and food to probably another 40-50 individuals. I was so impressed with how everything turned out and the amount of families we were able to help. I would not have been able to do it without each of you doing your part.”