Involving my Students in Fundraising for Homeless & My Running!

For this year’s eighth grade spring Student Service Learning project, my students will be taking part in a two-part intensive project. Part one involves students completing a detailed poster project on recycling. Their end products are now displayed around the school. Part two allows students to expand on this project by focusing on the important issue of homelessness.  


In exploring homelessness as a key societal issue, the students have decided to raise money for a successful organization that works directly with the homeless called Back on my Feet (BOMF). BOMF is a nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of homeless populations by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength, and self-esteem. BOMF provides a community that embraces equality, respect, discipline, teamwork and leadership. BOMF currently have chapters in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. The nonprofit is expanding to Boston in May 2010 and Chicago in fall 2010.  


The students’ ultimate goal is to raise at least $500 for BOMF through a spring chocolate sale at lunches during the first week of May and a fun field day experience during period 7 on Friday, May 28th. Both events will be supervised by my colleague, myself, parent volunteers, and other eighth grade teachers. When students purchase a chocolate bar for only $1, we receive 60 percent of the profit for BOMF, and the student receives a complimentary pass to participate in the field day. The students are also creating posters about homelessness and the chocolate sale around the school building. During their advisory period, the students will be further examining the homelessness issue by writing letters, poems, and compositions.  


If the students raise at least $500, then I will be eligible to run for 24 hours as a charity athlete in the BOMF Lone Ranger Ultra Marathon in Philadelphia July 17-18, 2010. In this ambitious race, I will see how many 8.4-mile laps she can run around the Schuylkill River Running Loop in 24 hours. To prepare, I am running a marathon a month and a 200-mile endurance team relay leading up to the event. Every cent the students raise in these efforts will go directly to BOMF, so we are encouraging students to buy chocolates and help support the homeless!

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to our project, please visit: http://www.active.com/donate/3rdAnnual20in24/MrsLaBanca.  Thank you for your help and support with this important, exciting, and worthwhile project for our students. I couldn't be more excited about this fun and worthwhile project and running challenge!