P.S. 261 for Pencils for Kids
Teacher and Operative Melissa Farran from Brooklyn, NY has been supporting the Sock Monkey Sponsorship program through philanthropy projects she does with her 2nd grade class at PS 261 in Brooklyn for the past few years. They usually set up a post office and sell stamps and handmade postcards, using the money they collect to buy sock monkey sponsorships and send smiles to kids in need. Sponsorships from PS 261 so far have sent sock monkeys to distressed communities in Russia, Africa and India.
Earlier this year, Melissa reached out asking if OSM had any extra sock monkey calendars or cards to use for the post office project. As it happened, I had something even better… a big ol’ box of Pencils for Kids notecards, featuring artwork made by the children of Libore, Niger that I was happy to donate to the budding philanthropists of PS 261.
I sent down a box of goodies and info about P4K and Melissa was thrilled to learn of the project and immediately set into action with her class. She set up a request page on Donorschoose.org asking for pencils and pencil cases to be donated to the class to sell as a fundraiser. Thanks to the support of their community, they reached their goal in a few short weeks. They are now selling the pencils, cases and notecards and will donate the money they raise to Pencils for Kids Infrastructure project to help send textbooks and school supplies to children in in the community of Libore, Niger.
Here’s a description of this wonderful bunch of craftivists in training in the words of their teacher, Ms. Farran:
‘My students are compassionate and love helping other kids in need…I teach an extremely diverse group of second graders. They love dancing, practising yoga, learning about famous artists, studying history, creating art, reading, writing, solving math problems, our sock monkey collection and funky socks. They are energetic, inquisitive and funny.’
Monkey Hugs and High-Fives to the students and community of P.S. 261 for your wonderful support of Pencils for Kids and Operation Sock Monkey !
