The Peabody Education Foundation introduced a new initiative with a blanket project that will provide more than 200 students in need with handmade fleece tie blankets throughout the city’s public schools.
According to the PEF, “Peabody Cares” will unite the forces of community volunteers, faculty, local businesses, and nonprofits to collaboratively spearhead initiatives dedicated to improving student lives, of which the blanket project will be the first.
A driving force for Peabody Cares’ inaugural project was McCarthy Elementary School teacher Jill Houlden. Houlden had once made blankets for students at the Welch Elementary School in the past, and approached the PEF with the idea of obtaining funding to expand her operation to the entire district. With the help of other volunteers, Houlden was able to recruit other parties to join her.
“Special thanks to Jill Houlden for her time and effort in coordinating the blanket-making project, the Peabody Education Foundation for both funding the project and providing volunteers to make some of the blankets, the girls PVMHS volleyball and field hockey teams, the Sunday Funday group, members of the Peabody Public Schools staff, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Stone Paper, GraVoc, Maria Champigny, and numerous other volunteers throughout the community who helped assemble the blankets,” PEF President David Gravel said in a press release.
The blankets are expected to be distributed by the schools before Christmas.
