Volunteering at Cradles to Crayons with The Rivers School

In September 2024 as part of our Leadership Lab at Rivers Middle School, my classmates and I volunteered at Cradles to Crayons in Newton, MA. As described on their website, this organization provides children in need with essential items, including clothing, school supplies, and toys. The mission of the group is to fight poverty in children from ages 0 to 12 years old, and make sure they have what is needed to thrive during this important time of their development. Our day of service was both eye-opening and fulfilling as we sorted jackets and other clothing to prepare for the winter to come. The staff at Cradles to Crayons were highly energetic about their jobs, educated us about our role, and their enthusiasm really got our group going. I enjoyed my time working together with my new classmates, got to know them all better, felt a sense of community, and accomplished something for a good cause. At home, my mother let me know that she too had volunteered at Cradles to Crayons in the past, and we compared our experiences.

Cradles to Crayons is an important organization that provides volunteer opportunities for individuals and larger groups, such as ours, in Newton, MA. They have a very positive attitude about their work, and this is infectious. Also, a wide range of age groups (anyone over 5 years old) can volunteer here. I would highly recommend this experience for 1/2 day with a larger group.

They can be reached at their website: www.cradlestocrayons.org