Church donates clothing for JHS

Pine Bluff Junior High School recently received a clothing donation from Bethany Chapel Missionary Baptist Church for students in need.

The initiative was led by the church’s Women’s Department.

“We love our babies,” said Bethany Chapel’s first lady, Mary Davis. “Sometimes kids think adults don’t care about them, but we do. We can show them better than we can tell them. We wanted to show up for them — not just during the holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving, but all year-round.”

The Women’s Department delivered clothing and personal items to the school. The church also expressed its desire to form an ongoing partnership with the school and its FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) Club to continue helping students throughout the year, according to a news release.

Teacher Bethel Byrd, who leads the PBJHS FCCLA chapter, explained that her class focuses on family and consumer sciences, with one of their main goals being to support families through community service projects. They partnered with Bethany Chapel to assist students most in need of clothes.

“With the current economy, many families are struggling to afford even the basics like clothes and shoes,” Byrd said. “This donation will mean so much to the students, and I know they’ll be happy to receive it.”

SUPPORTING THOSE IN NEED

When Davis discussed the students’ needs, the school’s social workers, Deborah Thomas and Charles West, along with counselor Evette Johnson, emphasized the importance of receiving the donations. They witness firsthand the struggles many students face, especially those who are homeless or come from low-income families.

“Clothing is one of the most observable signs of poverty,” Thomas said. “Our children can be very sensitive about how they look, so new clothes help them feel like they belong. This is essential for their development.”

West explained further.

“With social media, there’s even more pressure on our students to fit in,” West said. “Their appearance is often the main reason for bullying, both in person and online. This donation will help ease some of that pressure.”

Johnson, who also leads efforts to engage parents, expressed her gratitude for the donations.

“New and gently used clothing from individuals, families and groups make an enormous difference in our students’ lives. It allows us to keep supporting them in the best way possible, which is one of our main goals in student support services,” Johnson said.

Principal LaTanya Paige-Harris also expressed her thanks.

“Together, Pine Bluff Junior High, FCCLA and Bethany Chapel are working to ensure that no student feels uncared for or left behind. We deeply appreciate this incredible show of support,” she said.

The school is eager to continue this partnership and looks forward to future collaborations that will positively impact its students, according to the release.