Home Hot Topics Coronavirus Inspiring Minds works with local organizations to supply books to students

Inspiring Minds works with local organizations to supply books to students

By

Cassius Shuman

-

07/17/2020

HANDOFF: Inspiring Minds, a nonprofit that works to mentor and tutor students in the Providence area, is delivering books to students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Director Melissa Emidy, left, hands a box of books to Lisa Pierce. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

INSPIRING MINDS, a nonprofit organization based in Providence, took an active role during the coronavirus pandemic by providing and delivering supplies to school students in the Providence area. The education agency, which was founded in 1963 to provide academic support for the children in two segregated elementary schools, has been delivering books and other assorted

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INSPIRING MINDS, a nonprofit organization based in Providence, took an active role during the coronavirus pandemic by providing and delivering supplies to school students in the Providence area. The education agency, which was founded in 1963 to provide academic support for the children in two segregated elementary schools, has been delivering books and other assorted materials to students throughout the pandemic. Organization members also tutor and serve as mentors to students in the Providence area. “Soon after the impact on schools became apparent, we reached out to Providence schools, our students and their families to see what our students needed and how our volunteers could help,” said Melissa Emidy, executive director, who has been leading the nonprofit since October 2017. “Several ideas emerged, and we ran with them. Some of our volunteers recorded video check-ins and read books aloud and sent them to their students’ teachers. We knew that students would miss their personal connection with their volunteers, and we wanted to make sure students had a way to connect directly, so we created the pen pal program. We learned that students needed books and supplies, and we committed to making sure all Inspiring Minds’ students had necessary resources at home.” Emidy said Inspiring Minds is “fortunate to have great partners in the community for this project.” She contacted Jocelyn White, executive director at Books Are Wings in Pawtucket, the week after schools closed and said supplies were needed. “Within a few weeks, Books Are Wings supplied us with over 1,500 books to deliver to more than 500 students. Word got out about our efforts and we received a call from Lifespan Community Health [Services]; they donated coronavirus coloring books and fact sheets to include in the bags. An Inspiring Minds board member supplied the crayons to go along with the coloring books. The [Rotary Club of Providence] donated the books and supplies to Kizirian Elementary School for delivery.”