Devereux’s Glenholme School raises more than $4,000 for children affected by Flint water crisis

Students and staff at Devereux Connecticut - The Glenholme School are raising funds for children affected by the recent water crisis in Flint, Mich.

Since 2016, the Glenholme School has generated more than $4,000 for youth in Flint, Mich., via T-shirt sales and other fundraisers.

All proceeds from the school’s fundraising efforts go to the Flint Kids Fund.

Students and staff at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Connecticut – The Glenholme School are raising funds for children affected by the recent water crisis in Flint, Mich.

The Glenholme School was spurred to action in 2016 after learning about the challenges families faced in the city, where cost-cutting measures led to contaminated drinking water.

Since then, the Washington, Conn.-based special needs boarding and day school has raised more than $4,000 by selling specially-designed T-shirts and adding a 50-cent fundraising surcharge on all liquids (e.g., water, soda, soups) sold in the student-run café, The Commons.

Kids helping kids

Proceeds from the school’s fundraising efforts go directly to the Flint Kids Fund, a charitable fund established by the Community Foundation of Greater Flint to help meet the ongoing health and development needs of children who were exposed to lead and other toxins in the city’s drinking water.

“Our students at the Glenholme School – many of whom have faced struggles in their own lives – have taken to heart the challenges the children in Flint are facing as a result of this situation,” said Glenholme School Education Director Sharon Murphy. “Participating in this fundraising effort has taught our youth the importance of giving back to a community in need, and what can be achieved when we work together to raise awareness of serious issues.”

Long-lasting effects of lead

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no safe level of lead for children. Exposure can lead to developmental delays, as well as learning and behavioral problems. While Michigan officials deemed the city’s drinking water safe in 2018, The Glenholme School plans to support Flint families for the foreseeable future as they continue on their road to recovery.

“Each year, our students conduct research to learn more about what happened in the city of Flint,” explained Murphy. “They are left with a sense of pride, knowing their efforts – no matter how big or small – are helping to make a difference in the lives of other children.”

The Glenholme School serves students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette syndrome, depression, anxiety and other learning differences.

Learn about Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health.

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