Last week the kids at the Mission Possible Teen Center got to do something they rarely get to do-help someone else.
With a donation of $200 from Westbrook Business Network International and Kiwanis, teens from Mission Possible purchased toys and winter clothes for the preschoolers at the Westbrook Head Start center.
The idea came from Westbrook Business Network International, which was looking for an organization to give $100. The group approached Kiwanis, which works with the Mission Possible organization.
“Business Network International approached Kiwanis and asked if we knew an organization that could use the money,” said Kiwanis President John Bernier. “We said we’d match. And we had the idea for the Mission Possible kids to get experience spending money on clothes they knew they’d be giving away.”
With the $200, some of the Mission Possible teens spent the week before last shopping for ski pants, gloves, hats, and toys for the younger kids at the Head Start center. They did their best to make the money go as far as possible, shopping at stores like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Wal-Mart.
“It was a great opportunity for teen center kids to go out and get excited to give stuff to younger kids and give back to the community,” said Mission Possible Executive Director Evelyn Blanchard. “That doesn’t happen often.”
Many of the teens at the Mission Possible center are from lower income backgrounds similar to those of the three to five-year-olds at the Head Start center. As such, they are more used to being on the receiving end rather than the giving end.
“It was exciting,” said Jeff Gentry, 17, after giving away the toys and clothes. “It felt good giving the toys. We tried to pick out stuff the kids would like.”
“I liked their expressions,” said Lizz Thibodeau, 15.
As for the kids at Head Start, they couldn’t wait to get their hands on the toys. “I’m excited to play with the toys,” said five-year old Cody Reynolds. “Please and thank you.”
According to Linda Pramis, afternoon teacher at Head Start, the clothes are an important donation for the center. “Today we went out without enough snow pants, then (the Mission Possible teens) showed up with them,” she said. “Awesome. We’re really grateful for donations from the community because we don’t have a lot of money.”
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