Crabapple Middle School students organized and delivered donated supplies to the Drake House as part of a new pilot program. 

The Drake House mission is to provide short term crisis housing, support, and empowerment to homeless mothers and their children in the North Fulton area.  Lynn Canty, the Director of Volunteer Services for the Drake House, was contacted and she informed the group that toiletries are always needed so the staff at CMS rallied and donated many useful supplies. Chloe Holben, seventh grade student, was the project manager. 

The Friendship Circle team then organized and wrapped the donations. On Oct. 30,Holben  and Nancy Spix delivered the cheerful packages to the Drake House.  While there, Holben was able to interview Lynn Canty who spoke to Chloe about what it was like to be homeless. 

As the pilot program developer, Spix (CMS Speech Language Pathologist), began civic focused projects at the beginning of the school year, with the objective of engaging her students in “giving back to the community.” 

“Students learn empathy for others and build their self esteem knowing that they are helping others that are less fortunate," she said.

In September, students picked up trash at the Roswell Area Park. In October, students focused on helping the women and families at the Drake House. In November, they wrote letters to soldiers from the Roswell area. In December, they will make fleece throws and deliver them to an assisted living home on Green Street. Future projects will include reading to the autistic children at Roswell North Elementary School and making toys for the dogs at the shelter here in Roswell. 

Spix emphasized that the Friendship Circle projects are student driven. Students take ownership of the projects.  

“I am so very proud of each of them!” she said.