In early December, Thomas Ryan, one of ISP’s Learning Support teachers, volunteered at an outdoor soup kitchen along with English teacher Amber Hérisson and two ISP students. While waiting for the supply van to arrive, he chatted to an elderly woman at the front of the line. It was a bitterly cold night, and Thomas offered her his own gloves. Two or three other people immediately asked him for gloves, but he did not have any more to give. While handing out rolls and plastic cutlery to the 250 homeless and working poor, Thomas noticed that while nearly all had winter coats and hats only about half had gloves.
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That was the beginning of ISP’s GloveFest 2010. The glove and mitten drive launched by Thomas has gotten off to a flying start, and gloves are streaming in every day. The drive will go on until the February Ski Break in both the Primary and the Secondary School. Primary School Eco Ecole students have re-used plastic bags to make laundry lines where the gloves can be collected. The Secondary School’s Mitten Tree is already heavy with fruit! The first delivery will take place next week, and we have already collected about 200 pairs!
Our goal is to collect 1000 pairs of gloves/mittens to distribute to homeless people in Paris (SDF, sans domicile fixe). This is a simple and direct local action that can make a difference of warmth and care for our less fortunate fellow Parisians.
As the Beatles so eloquently sang: “All you need is gloves, da da da da daaaaa!” Thanks so much for your support, and have a glovely day!
6 Rue Beethoven, 75016 Paris, France