the next big thing.

I've known my friend Ashleigh since we were seventeen. I met her at the greatest place on earth, Camp Arcadia, where we worked end of season and were Crafty Ladies. And then we became friends forever. We both went to Grand Valley, then became roommates, and somewhere in between all of that, this caring, hilarious, spontaneous, and genuinely nice person became one of my best friends. 

Now, Ash teaches at a school in Pontiac, called Great Lakes Academy, which is a Title 1 school. She is the perfect person to be there, because she is so optimistic, no matter what the situation.

Do you know what Title 1 means? 

Title 1 is the largest federal funded education program in the United States. Authorized by Congress, it provides supplemental funds to school districts to assist eligible public and private schools with the highest student concentration of poverty to meet school educational goals.

Ashleigh spent her first year teaching a classroom working hard to help kids whose families are struggling. But unfortunately, she had to do it while having to divvy up markers because there wasn't enough to go around. And using toilet paper as tissue because they ran out of Kleenex. And buying band aids for her kids out of her own pocket because the school simply didn't have any left. 

Most kids, at the start of the school year, are sent home with a list of school supplies they need for the year. But what do you do if you know the parents can't afford to buy the items anyway? Let alone donate any other items that may benefit the entire school, like band aids and Kleenex.

This is where you and I come in :) I will be collecting school items from now through Labor Day to give to Miss Ashleigh, to give to her kids, so these children can get the education they deserve.

Will you help? Here is a list of items needed:

*Backpacks
*#2 Pencils
*Rulers
*Ballpoint Pens
*Compass
*Clorox Wipes
*Hand Sanitizer
*Pocket Folders
*Highlighters
*Colored Pencils
*Protractors
*Gallon-sized Plastic Bags
*Spiral Notebooks
*Markers
*Notebook Paper
*Dry Erase Markers
*Kleenex
*Band Aids

Contact me at bethechangemakethedifference@gmail.com if you are interested in making a donation.

Be the change. Make the difference.