The spirit of giving has been part of the program at Lansing Charter Academy. Even before the doors opened for the very first time in September of 2009, LCA had formed a partnership with the Lansing City Rescue Mission to help provide backpacks filled with school supplies to families in need. Over those first two years, almost 2500 backpacks found there way to new homes. The partnership also teamed up to give away coats in the month of November with a Coat Drive.
Community partnerships have also included Two Men and A Truck. Every spring, LCA has supported Movers For Moms, a program designed to provide gifts for Mothers Day to sheltered moms in the community. LCA families donated and solicited donations of personal items such as shampoos, soaps, and other non-perishables. Two Men and A Truck collected and delivered boxes of gifts throughout the community.
The Giving Tree is a holiday tradition at Lansing Charter Academy coordinated by our Parents in Partnership organization. Gifts are donated by LCA families, which are then wrapped by parent volunteers and delivered to an LCA family in need. It’s a surprise visit and only a few people on the leadership team have knowledge of the recipient.
Which brings us to the Penny Drive. In our second year of operation, the Student Government was officially formed and as one of their community service projects, they initiated a Penny Drive. The announcement went something like this, “Student Government needs your help!! They are putting together a fundraiser to raise money for stocking stuffers. The fundraiser is a penny drive. Classrooms are competing during the month of November to see who can raise the most money. There will be a reward given to the top classroom. All you need to do is send in those pennies you have lying around! They will be collected daily in a designated container in each classroom. Please help up us in this effort to help others. Thank you from all the members of your Student Government!”
Jodie Lary, School Social Worker, reflects, “The students were excited and raised over $1,000.00 which we donated to St. Vincent Catholic Charities. We made about 40 stockings for refugee children and then donated about $700.00 for St. Vincent to use as they saw fit.”
In an amazing display of entrepreneurship, two first grade boys decided that their best bet for collecting the most money was in the dorms at Michigan State University. Their efforts accounted for over half the money raised and a winning classroom. Go All Stars!