Last month, right around Martin Luther King Day, Bain faculty put out a challenge to the student body:  How much can we help people without homes in our community this winter?

Last week, the students proudly displayed the fruits of their efforts – packing up bags of warm clothing and donating $60 to Comprehensive Community Action Programs (CCAP) for assistance to homeless clients.

“We felt it was in keeping with the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. and our students responded right away,” said Mary Beth Young, advisor to the school-wide student council said of the call for donations.  “We are so proud of them. This spirit of giving is part of the culture at Bain.”

Jesse Dooley, a licensed social worker with CCAP, expressed gratitude for the students’ generosity and said that the donations will be put to good use.  As part of his job, he works with clients at Harrington Hall, an emergency overnight shelter for men, located on the grounds of the state Pastore Complex in Cranston.

“There is always a need for essentials like this,” said Dooley, who last fall was also a candidate for the Cranston City Council.   According to the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness, there are approximately 2,400 homeless people in the state.  Dooley said they come from all walks of life – people who have fallen on hard times, people who are struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues, and some who have been released from being incarcerated and don’t have the resources to build their lives anew.

Both Young and Bain Principal Keith Croft said that they never had any doubt that the middle school students would respond to the challenge to do something for the homeless this winter.  “We are really proud of our kids,” Croft said.  “They work hard to have an impact on their community.”