Silver Rail Elementary’s Community 101 program, an effort of The Oregon Community Foundation and several local donors, recently awarded a grant of $4,000 to Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity.
The students, under the direction of teacher Kelli Hayes, selected Habitat for Humanity because their project supports a single mother and her child that are working through Habitat’s affordable homeownership program. In addition to the grant, students and staff signed and decorated 2×4 studs that were placed inside the walls of the house.
Teacher Kelli Hayes, when reflecting on this year’s award, said “because of the generosity of our donors, our school was given the opportunity to teach something not usually found in 3rd-5th grade curriculums. While children are naturally giving, as they grow older giving can become more complicated. This kind of opportunity and exposure then prepares them to understand the complexities of why giving is truly needed and necessary.”
Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity’s Development Manager, Mellissa Kamanya, said “Thank you Oregon Community Foundation, Silver Rail Elementary staff and students, and Kelli Hayes for selecting us as a recipient of the Community 101 grant. Your support is both literally and figuratively the foundation for the home of a hardworking single mother and her child. Thank you for making a huge impact in our community.”