EAST ORANGE, NJ — Spurred by phone calls received from teachers and counselors about family members of students getting sick with COVID-19, Cicely L. Tyson Middle School/High School Assistant Principal Ameenah Poole wanted to make a difference. During an instructional leadership team meeting, along with Principal John English, she suggested the staff make care packages for families in need.
“I asked Mr. English, ‘Isn’t there something we can do to help? We’re home, we’re able-bodied,’” Poole said, adding that she quickly received support from the staff and began planning. “I was thinking about a lot of things. I thought about the hardship faced by families. COVID-19 is an unprecedented hardship. There are no rules written about it. The fact is, we normally have kids that are food insecure. I also thought about how expensive food can be. I immediately thought about the basic food necessities. With kids being home and constantly eating, the threat of having nothing to eat is real.”
According to Poole, this was the start of “The Tyson Eagle’s Angels” — as coined by her colleagues Assistant Principal Elvin Williamson and math coach Robin Lewis during the meeting. In order to move the initiative forward, a survey was given to staff members that laid out different ways in which staff could become involved.
“Despite that we’re all living in uncertain times, I was hopeful that we would get enough donations to help out multiple families,” Poole said. “And, if we could only help just one family, it’s better than helping none.”
The response to the survey was inspiring, according to Poole. Following the first donation made by the school’s librarian, Lori Clerkin, other donations were received.
“We got $10 here, $20 dollars, and then two or three days later, school nurse Donelda Iyizoba said she had a donation of $1,000 collected from nursing friends and families,” Poole said.
In all, the initiative received $3,100 in donations.
“Carla English has helped us a lot with shopping, organizing and delivery,” Poole said of the principal’s wife. “She keeps us motivated! It’s a total family affair.”
Lewis and nurse Beverly Macon also assisted with shopping; they visited stores several times, assisting more than 15 families. School secretary Katina Chatelain was a driver on these occasions. Despite dealing with days of pouring rain, grocery bags were organized and readied for distribution.
“We deliver food to cover a family of 10 for three to four days,” Poole said. Each family receives 10 to 12 bags with food items that cover breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. Other necessities, such as toilet paper, towels, toothpaste and dish detergent, were also included.
Families receiving donations are called by one of the school’s guidance counselors ahead of time to streamline the delivery.
“When we ring the doorbell, usually one person comes to the door,” Poole said. “I will say, ‘We are going to need some help.’ They are bewildered and astonished over how many bags we are bringing to the family. One student even cried. The student sent me a text message afterwards to let me know how grateful she was and how special she felt.”
Poole also described bringing food to a family that had experienced a house fire.
“After seeing all the bags we delivered to them, the student was in tears. Her mother turned to her and said, ‘Don’t cry. I know you want to cry. Look at what they got you. You said you wanted pancakes this morning. Look, they got you a 5-pound bag of Krusteaz pancake mix,’” Poole said. “The mother was so thankful. She said, ‘We can’t hug but I appreciate you so much. You don’t understand how much this means to us.’ The family was so thankful that they followed up with a text message and a thank-you card from the grandmother.
“It’s one of those feel-good moments,” Poole continued. “I am always trying to help; I’m a firm believer that service is the rent we pay on earth — we have to. Just because we’re not in school, does not mean we stop caring for the kids. It is important for us to come together as a community. We’re isolated but were not alone.”
Commenting on the initiative’s success, the school’s principal said, “I was able to witness the reactions of students and families as we delivered food. Parents were very thankful and shocked at the amount of groceries we were able to provide to them and their families. I am just humbled and thankful that I had the opportunity to help others when they needed it. If you have a chance to help someone, you should do it. It is the right thing to do. That is how people receive their blessings, by giving.”
Photos Courtesy of Mirvetk Tonuzi
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