Students fill crib for the poor

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

The donated goods, from diapers to baby food, are being donated to parenting or pregnant students in the Edmonton Catholic School Division.

"I think its a good project because it's children helping children," said 10-year-old Amy Shearer. "It's going to children that don't have as much as us."

This is St. Teresa's second crib project, which stands for Christian Responsibility by Investing in Babies.

Last year's collection was held during the Christmas season and the gifts were given to a group of young moms studying in the Catholic system.

This year's crib collection was held during Lent to allow students to make the connection between faith and action.

It worked.

By the time the collection ended on March 22, the cribs were overflowing with goods, including baby food, clothing, diapers and toys.

Kaitlyn Skinner, 9, brought baby food "because I care for the babies. It's a good thing to do. It's supporting poor people, people that don't have as much."

"This is a way for our community to have their faith in action through the Lenten season and it's also a statement to the community about the importance of children and families in our lives," said St. Teresa's principal Reny Clericuzio.

"It's a real way of supporting the community."

Assistant principal Dan Cavanagh said the project is also a good way to widen students' scope "about the fact there is a larger community out there they should care about."

All donated items are being forwarded to Our Lady of Grace Program, a special program for students attending Edmonton Catholic Schools who are pregnant or parenting.

"This is a great Lenten social justice project," Clericuzio said. "It teaches children to understand that we are not all the same, that there are families in our own community, in our own Edmonton Catholic School Division, that need support and need help."

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