Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By BECKY J. BEALL / Community Columnist

Pelham City Schools has joined forces with Neighborhood Bridges in an effort to communicate specific needs of students and teachers to the general public. Dubbed a “Gateway to Kindness,” Neighborhood Bridges is reaching communities all across Alabama to help ease the burdens of families in need and classrooms with limited budgets.

Often the difference between a student participating and learning versus one who is not thriving, is simply the availability of correct supplies and proper nutrition. Yes, there are free lunches for those who qualify, but for younger students, snack time is often one more way for attention to be drawn to their lack of resources. And, with multiple children in a struggling household, school supplies are often unattainable. These situations are where Neighborhood Bridges offers the strength of community.

It’s very simple to become involved with this program and each individual controls how much or how little they contribute. Log on (and subscribe) to Neighborhood Bridges at www.neighborhoodbridges.org and key in your zip code. Then select your city and a list of current needs will populate. Student names as well as schools and/or teachers are not listed. Instead you’ll receive a confirmation email explaining how to label the donation (usually a number that correlates with a particular school). Labeled donations may be dropped off at a City of Pelham fire station, who in turn delivers the items to their destination.

An idea of needs seen this year includes clothing, non-perishable snack foods, Kleenex tissues, Lysol, Clorox wipes, toiletries, binders, paper, dry erase markers and other school supplies. There have also been opportunities for donations like warm coats, which were quickly met.

Tammy Coefield is the coordinator for Pelham and she credits the community for success seen in this area. “The Pelham community has been ABUNDANTLY KIND since the launch of Neighborhood Bridges in December,” she says. “Pelham school counselors have done an excellent job identifying school and student needs, and using the Neighborhood Bridges platform to communicate those needs. I am blessed to be a part of such a worthy endeavor.”

More information about Neighborhood Bridges

Neighborhood Bridges is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that was launched in January 2017. The model is to create a Gateway for Kindness utilizing technology and social media to advocate for children and families in need…then linking them with the community to fill those needs. Neighborhood Bridges is about kindness, speed, efficiency and bridging all community resources to drive direct support in care to neighbors in need.

The School Solutions Network is a National Sponsor for the organization, merging the power of communities with the technical expertise of Status Solutions to holistically identify and address each school’s unique set of needs.

Giving to those in need has never been so easy thanks to Neighborhood Bridges. Check it out and see if it is a fit for your charitable giving.