EventExtra

Fall Community Service Day
On November 4, 2011, nearly 40 volunteers attended Fall Community Service Day at Cradles to Crayons’ (C2C) Giving Factory, located just across the river in Brighton. The day began with an orientation and an explanation of the different volunteer tasks. The group was split into different stations, with some sorting incoming donations, others matching up clothing to create outfits and the majority “shopping” among the aisles to create kid packs for specific children. The atmosphere was light as people were eager to help and get started. The employees at the C2C Giving Factory are extremely passionate about what they do, and after being there for an hour or so, it was hard for their eagerness not to rub off on the CCC volunteers.

C2C was founded in 2002 and is an innovative nonprofit that provides children, free of charge, with the essential items that all kids need in order to flourish. Winter is an especially important season for filling these needs as the cold weather means children require boots, jackets, hats and mittens to stay warm and healthy.

Gene Kalaw from Sovereign | Santander was in the group that matched clothing to create outfits for the kid packs. “I’m really enjoying myself,” he said. “I have two girls of my own, and I know what they like, so I’m imagining a little girl being so excited to receive this new outfit. It feels great knowing I’m making a difference. But I’m frustrated that there are no tights to match this dress.”

CCC President & CEO Kelly Thompson Clark was also distressed by the lack of certain necessities that most of us take for granted. “It was incredibly surprising and disheartening not to find underwear, socks and t-shirts to put into the packages for these kids. It was really evident that there are people out there that don’t have the very basic necessities but you don’t think about these things when you’re donating to an organization.”

The CCC staff was so impacted by our day of service at C2C that we not only chose the organization as the beneficiary of the Holiday BAHsh, but we have also become a permanent collection site for Cradles to Crayons. If you have gently used children’s clothing, footwear or books (we cannot accept baby equipment due to space constraints), see our guidelines and drop off donations between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the CCC office at 859 Massachusetts Avenue.
Thank you to Community Outreach sponsors Cambridge Savings Bank & Millennium.