Alabaster City Schools is collaborating with Neighborhood Bridges, a Westerville, Ohio charity, to launch the project Gateway for Kindness for students and families in need.

Neighborhood Bridges was founded and launched in January 2017 to serve children, residents and families in need in Westerville, Ohio. Throughout its first two years, Neighborhood Bridges has expanded to include nine communities in Ohio and now six communities in Alabama, including Hoover, Tuscaloosa, Helena, Pike Road, Trussville City Schools and Alabaster City Schools.

In its first 2.5 years, Neighborhood Bridges has engaged local residents and businesses to drive direct support and care to more than 15,500 children and families in Ohio and Alabama.

Neighborhood Bridges – Alabaster is a program that invites teachers, counselors, school administrators, mental health professionals and clergy to advocate for children and families in need in the community. The organization works with key stakeholders in the community to engage all resources to help drive direct support and care to neighbors in need.

Items donated include food, clothing, shoes, coats, eye exams, school supplies, school fees, furniture, household and other items identified to help those in need. One hundred percent of all donations made through Alabaster Bridges will go toward serving children and families in need in the community.

Neighborhood Bridges – Alabaster launched on Aug. 19. Each week, on Wednesday mornings starting Aug. 28, new opportunities for kindness will be posted on social media and sent straight to subscribers’ email. Community members can begin subscribing to receive opportunities for kindness now.

To fulfil an opportunity, click, print and deliver your kindness to the Alabaster City School Central Office, Alabaster Police Station or an Alabaster fire station.

“We are so excited to launch this new initiative to support our students. Our community will be able to join us and sign up for opportunities for kindness and know that their kindness will impact a student in our community,” ACS Superintendent Wayne Vickers said.

“We are humbled and excited that Alabaster City Schools is one of the first communities in Alabama to launch our Gateway for Kindness program,” said Rick Bannister, CEO of Neighborhood Bridges. “We have seen incredible excitement and engagement in Hoover, Alabama through our program in 2019 and we are confident the community of Alabaster will respond in a similar way to provide direct support and care to children and families in need. We know school personnel see needs every day and now they have a tool to invite the entire community in spreading kindness and care.”

For more information or to subscribe, visit Neighborhoodbridges.org/community/alabaster-al.