Standard-Times
NEW BEDFORD Paula Benedetti, a retired dropout prevention specialist in the New Bedford public school system, saw a need during the holidays among her students and decided to address it head-on by enlisting the help of school colleagues and friends. She started Christmas is for Kids” with her husband more than 20 years ago.
Every year the project grows, involving more people and more schools.
“We have been able to secure a volunteer this year in seven of our schools to assist in identifying families, accepting and storing gifts, and arranging for delivery to students’ homes, Benedetti stated in a new release from Arthur P. Motta, Jr., community and public affairs manager for New Bedford schools. My dream is to see the project in every elementary school so that we can identify and respond to all children in need during the holidays.”
‘Christmas Is for Kids’ to Support Over 170 SouthCoast Children
Paula and Ron Benedetti started “Christmas Is for Kids” 25 years ago. The project assists families in need at Christmastime. They are provided with one shirt, one pair of pants, one sweatshirt, one set of pajamas, and one toy for each child in the family.
Kendra Galary started helping out with the “Christmas IS for Kids Project” back in 2009. She was a substitute at Keith Middle School at the time and she wrapped gifts for the program. She is now a health teacher at Carlos Pacheco Elementary School in New Bedford and took over the project at the school about five years ago. Last year, they took care of about 25 families with a total of 90 kids. 2020 was unlike any other season she has had.