GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The Friends of Augusta Savage, which has been active in the community and has identified the need of Charles E. Bennett Elementary in the past, again looked to help the school and its students, presented a check for $2,000 on Friday, Nov. 6, in a simple ceremony in the school’s main office lobby.

Charles E. Bennett school is classified as Title 1 school, meaning it has a large concentration of low-income students. It receives additional federal funds to assist in meeting the educational goals of those students.

Often, those funds are not enough, and where possible, members of and organizations in the local community step in to try and bridge the gap.

Previously, the organization was instrumental in holding a drive and helping to create a clothes closet to provide clothing, shoes, and toiletries to those in need whose families are often unable to fill those needs. The school has worked with the Friends of Augusta Savage over the past two years.

Present for the donation were Dr. Sheree Cagle, principal of Charles E. Bennett, vice-principal Marcia Mainer and school social worker Nikkia Johnston, along with Friends of Augusta Savage President Henrietta Francis, fine arts director Barbara Cornett and treasurer Marge Champion.

“We really appreciate them,” said Johnston. “And now they’re helping us with Christmas and providing donations for us to give our families, just gifs and joy for their kids, this season.”

According to Johnston, many children at Title 1 schools come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“We have to feed them; we have to cloth them. We have to help provide a learning environment, which means just being able to have their basic needs met,” Johnston said. “Once we can do that, and they know that they can come to school, they can get two meals a day; they can get fresh clothes if they don’t have those at home.

“They have a support team, people who are cheering them on, not just here at our school but also in the community when we have community donors and partners that shows that it’s not just us, but it's everyone. They’re more likely to have more confidence to try the hard things.”

“In some small way as a community partner, we’ve donated a check of $2000 this morning to help them put a smile on their faces for Christmas,” said Francis. “We have fundraisers, and from a previous fundraiser for Augusta’s [Savage] birthday, we had those funds available. Plus, we have donors who also contribute to our organizations for this.”

The $2,000 donation is earmarked for some of the school’s neediest students this holiday season.