ICGL in Action

This year, the third grade has partnered with Second Helpings Atlanta for a yearlong community engagement project. The nonprofit organization fights hunger by rescuing surplus food and delivering it to those in need.

This past fall, Second Helpings Executive Director Joe Labriola spoke to the third grade and explained all about food rescue, reducing hunger and food waste in Atlanta.

As a follow-up to his visit, students decorated lunch bags and assembled sack lunches for Second Helpings at their Hanukkah party on Dec. 7. They also wrote short notes to include in the bags. Parents Angie Smith and Leigh Segall helped coordinate the activity.

The Community Engagement Program and Woodruff Library have joined forces to spread some magic this holiday season. In partnership with Purpose Built Schools Atlanta, an organization that strives to break the cycle of poverty through high-performing schools, Pace families are invited to “adopt” a child and purchase a holiday gift for him or her.

Pace has committed to provide gifts for Thomasville Heights Elementary School’s pre-kindergarten class. To participate, stop by the bulletin boards located outside the library’s lower level beginning Nov. 26. Gift tags with the names of children who need toys for the holidays will be posted on the boards. Select a tag and return a wrapped gift (or take advantage of the library’s wrapping supplies!) to the library by Dec. 7. Gifts will be delivered Dec. 10.

Help the Pace Community Engagement program support others during Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week by contributing items to one (or more!) of these drives.

Basketball Coat & Blanket Drive (Nov. 12-16): In partnership with Mercy Care, basketball players and coaches will collect gently used coats and blankets during morning and afternoon carpools. Donation bins will be placed in the Middle School Rotunda and Upper School Student Affairs. Questions? Contact Amy Mininberg.

Bloom Closet Clothing Drive (Nov. 14-16): The Bloom Closet provides gently used clothing and other items to children in foster care. Donations will be accepted at morning carpool, and bins will be placed in the Lower School Cafeteria, the Middle School Rotunda and Upper School Student Affairs. Items may also be dropped off between Nov. 12 and 15 at the Mautner residence (2854 Arden Rd, NW 30327). Questions? Contact Leah Mautner or Madeline Arenth.

Creating Connected Communities Toddler-to-Teen Book Drive (Nov. 14-16): Creating Connected Communities empowers teenagers to serve their communities in meaningful ways. The organization is in need of gently used books for children ages toddler to teen. Donation bins will be placed in the Middle School Rotunda and Upper School Student Affairs. Questions? Contact Gabriel Kadoori or Creating Connected Communities founder Amy Zeide.

This year, the third grade has focused its community-engagement efforts on Second Helpings Atlanta, an organization that strives to reduce hunger and food waste in metro Atlanta by rescuing surplus food and delivering it to those in need.

On Oct. 5, Second Helpings Executive Director Joe Labriola visited Pace to ensure students have a complete understanding of the organization, its mission and the way it works. Later this month, third graders will decorate brown paper lunch bags with notecards and drawings, and in December, students will pack lunches to be distributed by Second Helpings.

Second Helpings is always looking for food donors and volunteer drivers. Drivers rescue food from a network of donors, transport it to one of Second Helpings Atlanta’s partner agencies and return home or to their place of work in 90 minutes or less. To learn about becoming a food donor, to donate or to join Second Helpings’ community of volunteer drivers, visit secondhelpingsatlanta.org or email VolunteerRecruiter@secondhelpings.info.  

Please note that the Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) book club meeting scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 16, has been cancelled. The club’s first meeting, A Conversation with Author Jeff Goodell, will instead take place Sunday, Sept. 23, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Woodruff Library’s classroom.

Attendees should read ICGL Visiting Scholar Jeff Goodell’s book Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy Future to prepare for the conversation with the author.

Please RSVP to ICGL Advisory Board member and Pace parent Gail Starr at gail.starr@gmail.com.