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Reaching Out to the People of Haiti
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March 12, 2010
This Is What A Pallet of 240 Children's Shoes Bound
for Haiti Looks Like!
 From
the Brooklyn Friends Preschool, to Yonkers, NY, to Port Au Prince,
Haiti -- 240 children's shoes donated and collected by our preschool
children are making their way to Haiti this weekend. The shoe drive was
initiated by parents Dara Sicherman (PAT Preschool Vice President) and
Philip Graham. A physician at Columbia, Philip has been working with a
a team of Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and
Rehabilitation Medicine Healthcare Workers from Columbia who will be
going to Haiti with equipment and prosthetic devices with the goal of
doing initial care and a needs assessment for long-term rehabilitation
needs of critically ill children. The shoes from BFS will be part of
their work. It's heartwarming to know that our children's small
contributions with have a big and long-term impact on the young boys
and girls of Haiti in need of this specialized care.
Feb. 12, 2009 Purchase a "Legacy T-Shirt" and Help Haiti
 The
sale of the African American Celebration's "Legacy" T-shirts will boost
the BFS contribution to the work of Doctors without Borders in Haiti.
In addition to upcoming lobby sales, Cheryl Foote, receptionist
extraordinaire, will take your orders for T-Shirts in the morning and
have them ready for pick-up in the afternoon. The cost is $15 per shirt
and the sizes are children's small, medium, and large, and adult small,
medium, large, extra large, and xxlarge. They're beautiful and you'll
look marvelous in them.
Jan. 22, 2010 In our schoolwide response to the crisis in Haiti, all fundraising efforts undertaken at BFS will go to support the work of Doctors Without Borders. - Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an independent international medical humanitarian organization that provides aid to people in more than 60 countries whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. In 1999, MSF received the Nobel Peace Prize.
As an educational institution, we chose Doctors Without Borders because this is an organization whose work is very concrete, tangible, and understandable to students of all ages. Their work has been visible in television news reports, and they have a demonstrated record of financial stewardship of charitable donations. Hand-in-hand with fundraising efforts, our older students and teachers in all divisions as well as the PAT (Parent and Teachers Association) are working to develop educational programs to help our students understand the situation in an age-appropriate manner and, in accord with the school's mission and Quaker principles, to reach out to those in need. - In just one week, the Upper School Peace and Social Action Committee raised $1,800 for Haitian relief through the sale of pins (photo below).
- All proceeds from the 15th annual African American Celebration, to be held on Feb. 5, will be donated to Haitian relief.
The Middle School is holding a special program of concern on Jan. 26. This time will be spent learning more about Haiti, the aftermath of the earthquake, and ways in which to help. Lower School students will be incorporating an age-appropriate educational and fundraising component for Haiti into their ongoing community service programs, with plans for making and selling friendship bracelets. In the Preschool, teachers are talking to children about the earthquake in terms they can understand. Preschool families will be donating shoes that their children no longer need. Collecting shoes for children who may not have any is very concrete and a good way for preschoolers to understand how they can help. We will be sending information to families next week and expect the drive to go on for two weeks
“We know that our parents are very generous and know many of them will be contributing as individuals to their own organizations of choice,” said Head of School Michael Nill in announcing these initiatives. “Parents are role models to their children not only by their personal support of the many charities working for Haitian relief; by purchasing items the children make to raise money -- bracelets in the Lower School, pins in the Upper School and so on -- and attending the African-American Celebration on Feb. 5, they will be sending a very powerful message to our students about giving to others and helping when and where it is needed most."
Jan. 15, 2010 The BFS community is undertaking a coordinated, all-school approach in response to the earthquake and unfolding crisis in Haiti. The Upper School Peace of Social Action Committee (representative members Emma, Anna and Sophia in photo above) will be making pins with beads from 12 noon to 2 pm tomorrow (Saturday Jan. 16) at 375 Pearl Street. US Dean Dori and US Head Roxanne will also attend. Middle school students are invited to join the US students on Saturday.
On Tuesday Jan. 19 the pins will be sold in the lobby. We will incorporate the PS and LS friendship bracelets with the pins in due course. Donations from the sale of pins and bracelets will be collected for a soon-to-be announced charity/non-governmental organization working on the ground in Haiti. The Division Heads, Director of Community Service Carla Precht, and the PAT Community Service Committee will be closely involved in the BFS community's fundraising, education, and advocacy efforts. Parents who wish to join in these efforts should e-mail Community Service Coordinators April DiComo or Melissa Coad. More information will be forthcoming as we solidify plans.
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Children's Concert to Benefit Alexandra's Playground
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The Alexandra's Playground initiative is named in memory of a BFS preschool student who died suddenly a year and a half ago, and many current BFS preschool parents are volunteers for the effort. To learn more, go to www.alexandrasplayground.org
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Earth Day Comes 5 Days Early at BFS This Year
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A Letter from PAT Community Service Coordinators Melissa Coad and April Di Como  We would like to thank the PAT Executive Committee, the Athletics Department, and the many parents and students for their support of
the successful Family Day of Service at the Red Hook Ballfields on April 17.
We had a great turnout despite questionable weather. More than 75
volunteers came, and with the mulching, planting, seeding and painting
we really got a lot done (everything the Parks Department had asked
asked for). Families were present from all of the school divisions to
pitch in and help, and the work we did will benefit local residents as
well as the school teams, including ours, who use those fields. It was
great to see so many middle and upper school students, including
several Student Ambassadors.
We spread good will along with the mulch! It was great to build bridges
with the Parks Department, who worked alongside us, and to support our
athletic department, which was also well-represented.
As one participant noted after the event: “I really love these days.
More than anything, they remind me that Brooklyn Friends isn't just a
school. We are a community— of students, parents, staff, and teachers—
all committed to working together, to demonstrating the values we
share.”
Sincerely,
April and Melissa
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Work Day on Sat. Nov. 14: Please Join Us
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Community Service in the Quaker Cemetery (Prospect Park)
Raking & Planting, Cider & Donuts, Fun & Fellowship
BFS families and alums are invited to join local Quakers for a Fall Work Day in the beautiful, historic Quaker Cemetery in Prospect Park on Saturday, November 14, 10-2 PM. We will rake, plant flower bulbs and help prepare the cemetery for winter. There will also be a lighthearted history tour, for those interested, as well an opportunity to visit the graves of loved ones.
Beverages and snacks provided, but please pack a picnic lunch and a rake and gloves if you have them. The cemetery is located near the park entrance at Prospect Park SW and 16th Street along Center Drive (parking available inside the gate). For more information or to volunteer to supervise a work site, please e-mail Community Service Coordinators April DiComo or Melissa Coad.
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