Charleston Day School’s Student Council recently completed its 2nd annual coat drive and partnered with Project Street Outreach to deliver over 100 gently worn youth and adult-sized coats and sweaters to the Family Outreach Center at Joint Base Charleston. Given the extreme temperatures Charleston experienced during the end of January, it was a timey service project. Many families benefited from the donation.

Coat Drive Partner

Eighth grade Student Council officers delivered the coats in person. They had the opportunity to meet with staff at the Airmen Attic along with the Board of Director, Mrs. J. Denise Cromwell, of Project Street Outreach (PSO), Inc. for homeless veterans and active families in crisis and surviving spouse of a US Marine. The Airmen Attic is a non-profit organization established to prioritize resource distribution and urgent assistance to veterans of Charleston, South Carolina. The group’s mission is to eradicate homelessness and hunger in America especially among our veterans.

Charleston Day Student Council President, Wills Walldorf, was excited to make the connection with the group at the thrift store. “I participated in many community projects throughout my years at CDS, but we do not always visit organizations in person. I love connecting with people who will benefit from our efforts.” Charleston Day collaborates with many charitable organizations in all grade levels as part of the school’s community service program. When students have the opportunity to visit organizations in person, the learning experience becomes that much richer because students can see the direct impact their efforts have.

Marianne Clare, one of the Student Council sponsors and middle school head, helped facilitate the coat drive. “More coats came in towards the end of the coat drive as the temperatures in the area dropped. Students were encouraging classmates to check closets at home.”

Overall, the coat drive reinforced lessons of empathy and compassion. The members of the student government organization had an opportunity to see first hand the challenges faced by others and how an individual can actively contribute in making a difference in someone else’s life. To read more about community service experiences at CDS, click here.