September 6, 2011

School uniform drive receives strong support from JHU community

The Johns Hopkins Adopt-a-Student Uniform Drive provided 120 students in 23 Baltimore City Public Schools with uniforms

The Johns Hopkins Adopt-a-Student Uniform Drive, an initiative designed to help low-income families meet the financial challenge of mandatory school uniforms, provided 120 students in 23 Baltimore City Public Schools with uniforms in its inaugural year.

The initial goal of the drive was to sponsor 30 students with two uniforms each, at the cost of $40 per student. Employees of the university and health system donated quickly after seeing a request for help, and a second set of 30 students was posted on the Office of Work, Life and Engagement’s website and rapidly “adopted.” Given the overwhelming response, Work, Life and Engagement, with the support of the Black Faculty and Staff Association, asked the school system to share the names of an additional 60 students. In all, $4,800 was raised.

At Harford Heights Elementary School, located at 1919 N. Broadway, Johns Hopkins President Ron Daniels was on hand to help distribute the uniforms and wish the students good luck in the upcoming school year. He acknowledged the efforts of Johns Hopkins students, faculty and staff who support the education of Baltimore’s young people and said, “I am thankful that our partnership with the Baltimore City Public Schools grows stronger year after year.”

The uniform drive is an outgrowth of the Johns Hopkins Takes Time for Schools Program, a service partnership that allows university staff to share their talents with on-site community service opportunities for up to two paid-leave days each fiscal year.

For more information about the Adopt-a-Student Uniform Drive and the Johns Hopkins Takes Time for Schools Program, go to www
.hopkinsworklife.org.