About 100 desks no longer used by Neenah students will be delivered to students in Liberia through a donation by the Neenah Joint School District to the International Children’s Fund (ICF).
The Neenah-based, non-profit organization provides humanitarian aid to desperately poor children and families throughout the world. ICF primarily operates in Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda.
Horace Mann Middle School operations staff member Jared Schmidt contacted ICF to determine their interest in the used equipment. The District delivered about 50 desks to ICF’s Neenah warehouse in late June and ICF picked up another 50 desks about a week later. Some student chairs stored at the Washington Early Learning Center were also donated to ICF.
“This is an incredible donation from the District and a nice surprise,” said ICF President Lori Fulcer. “We loved the fact the District was very forward thinking and instead of filling up a landfill they thought about how they can help other kids around the world.
“These desks and chairs had been sitting in storage for several years and were headed for a dumpster,” said District Director of Facilities/Engineer Adam Krieger. “We’re excited to be able to find a positive use for them and impact other children.”
This is not the District’s first donation to ICF as they have provided sporting equipment and school supplies in the past. Specifically, the girls basketball program has donated several used basketballs and jerseys, while ICF has also collected leftover school supplies in bins at the end of the school year.
“These students do not even have writing utensils and paper in most cases,” Fulcer said. “For them to be able to have tools like desks and chairs will do so much for them and their learning. I don’t even have the words for how grateful we are.”
For more information about the International Children's Fund, visit icfaid.org. |