At Friends Academy, Community Service Is Part of the Solution

The Field House at Friends Academy briefly turned into a winter workshop on Wednesday morning: tape, scissors, and wrapping paper as far as the eye could see in every direction.

Students from all divisions gathered in their Community Groups and wrapped presents for POTS — Part of the Solution — a nonprofit organization that aims to alleviate poverty and food insecurity in the Bronx.

Students wrapped a variety of candy treats for families who need a little extra help to make the upcoming holidays special for their kids. They also wrapped warm socks for people of all ages and included hand-written cards with all of the gifts.

“The holidays are a very high-need time,” says Olivia Pane, the developmental coordinator at POTS (pictured above). “We have a holiday toy store so parents can come in and select gifts for their children, free of charge, and having the candy is a really nice option for them. And the winter socks are extremely important for our clients to keep warm in the wintertime.”

This marks the 10th year that Friends Academy has partnered in this community-service endeavor with POTS, which offers an array of year-round services: soup kitchen and food pantry, medical and dental care, haircuts, access to showers, attire to attend job interviews, legal aid, administrative support for public assistance, and much more.

“The Bronx is one of the poorest communities in the country,” Olivia says. “We offer many free community services to individuals and families who are both low income and homeless. We do our best to get them from crisis to stability and ultimately self-sufficiency so that they can have a better quality of life.

“We welcome everyone who comes through our doors,” she adds. “We don't turn anybody away. We see people as a whole person and try to help them with whatever they need — and the need is greater than ever before with people needing assistance.”

Says Friends Academy senior Jack Kozinn, ”I don’t get to see the impact firsthand, but we’re making an impact for the greater good. It makes me feel proud of my FA community.”

To learn more about supporting POTS, click here.

Photos by Alvin Caal / Friends Academy