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Richmond students visit Downtown Eastside.
Submitted
Schools show heart
Published 2:27 PST, Wed December 13, 2017
The students of two independent elementary
schools in Richmond—the Az-Zahraa Islamic Academy and the Richmond Jewish Day
School—embarked on a project together to bring cheer to those in need.
The concept of giving back is shared by these
faiths, which initially brought the schools together five years ago.
This year, their effort entailed packaging
742 lunches and distributing them to the residents of Vancouver’s Downtown
Eastside
They also provided warm clothes, blankets,
and non-perishable food items to those living in one of the most impoverished
areas in the city.
As one of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhoods,
the Downtown Eastside is rampant with poverty, drugs, prostitution and other
troubling activities.
Nate Brown and Tali Keil, students of the
Richmond Jewish Day School, explained their experience as eye-opening, and full
of emotion.
Being amongst the homeless and hearing about
their stories, some who have spent most of their lives on the streets, brought
a sense of gratitude to those involved with this project.
Oscar Pozzolo, the principal of Az-Zahraa
Islamic Academy said his students were able to “understand the realities of
what’s out in the world in terms of hardships and struggles that some Canadians
are facing.”
He shared how the feeling of wanting to help
became so overpowering amongst students and teachers alike.
The immediate impact seen on the lives of the
less fortunate allowed for a meaningful experience, he said.
Employees from an Aboriginal art store came
out and preformed a thank-you song for the students, to express their gratitude
for the work being done for the betterment of their community.
This initiative alone took countless hours of
preparation from a variety of groups.
The RCMP escorted the school bus all the way
from Richmond, while the Vancouver Police Department remained on site for the
safety of the students.
This project is one that the two neighbouring
schools plan to continue throughout the years to promote social responsibility
and charity, so that the young minds are encouraged to give selflessly in all
stages and aspects of their lives.
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