Following the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, many have asked themselves how they could help Ferguson, MO – a town in turmoil. Julianna Mendelsohn, a North Carolina teacher, dedicated herself to campaigning for underprivileged students that rely on free school lunches. Due to the unrest in Ferguson after Brown’s death, the school year has been delayed and many children are going hungry.
The fifth grade teacher at Mangum Elementary School has surpassed her goal of $80,000 to raise over $150,000!
On her fund-raising campaign page, Mendelsohn wrote:
“As the world watches the events unfolding in Ferguson, many people have thought “how can I help?”. As a public school teacher, my first thought is always about the children involved in any tragic situation like this. When I found out school had been canceled for several days as a result of the civil unrest, I immediately became worried for the students in households with food instability. Many children in the US eat their only meals of the day, breakfast and lunch, at school. With school out, kids are undoubtedly going hungry.ALL OF THIS MONEY WILL GO TO FEED KIDS IN FERGUSON. A dollar or a hundred dollars, it doesn’t matter. You will be helping to put food in the mouth of a child who needs it. Regardless of your opinion on the civil unrest in Ferguson, there is no need for innocent children to go hungry because of it.” [source]
Ferguson-Florissant School District has 11,000 students and is considered a high-poverty district – over 68% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Mendelsohn said she got the idea for the fundraiser while following Ferguson events on Twitter. She said:
“I saw a picture of two young kids holding signs that said ‘Please don’t shoot.’ It broke my heart and as a teacher you start thinking that we’re going back to school soon and whether they’ve gone back to school.” [source]
Mendelsohn then wondered if the children were getting proper meals while school openings were delayed.
“As a teacher, it’s something we see every day. We realize how crucial school breakfast and lunches are to children in this country.” [source]
She decided to take action and her campaign has been wildly successful. Even celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres and Trey Songz have donated to the cause. According to the St. Louis Area Foodbank officials, the money Mendelsohn has helped raise will help fund their operation for a year. Officials said:
“The outpouring of support from across the country has been overwhelming. The funds donated through the “Feed the Students of Ferguson” campaign have been earmarked for the Ferguson community, where children in need will continue to struggle with hunger long after the news cameras leave.” [source]
Mendelsohn is just thrilled she could help ease the suffering of the children in Ferguson. She said:
“I feel so blessed to have been the one to push the first domino over. It’s just been an incredible experience and it’s still going.” [source]
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