A Birthday in a Box

Through the Family-to-Family’s Birthday in A Box Program, Sayville Middle School health teacher Jodi Maurici and her advisory students “adopted” four children  from shelters who receive assistance from VIBS (Victims Information Bureau).

“Family-to-Family is a non-for-profit organization,” Mrs. Maurici explained, “that connects families in need with other families that can help. Their website is family-to-family.org and they are a phenomenal resource!”  As they worked to assemble, organize, and box a “birthday party” for each child, the students shared their thoughts about the project: “Everybody brought something to fill up the boxes.

Things like cake mix, books, toys, goody bags, and candy,” stated enthusiastic advisory students Franchesca Piro, Gianna Scoleri, Taylor Grandfield, Megan Havranek, Tyler Prior, and Emily Levin.

“We brought in boxes and started wrapping them. The next step was to make them look pretty by putting ribbon and bows on them. In our minds, while we were wrapping, we thought how happy we would be making these kids.”

“I felt great about what we did,” added Jack Marshall.

“It made me feel like I was making a difference.” “Helping the less fortunate is definitely heartwarming,” Joe Harclerode said. “This project made me feel like I was making a huge difference."