St. James Middle School club donates baby supplies to Tidelands Health

April 21, 2023
Contact: Dawn Bryant
Tidelands Health
(843) 652-1636
dbryant@tidelandshealth.org
 
News for Immediate Release: St. James Middle School club donates baby supplies to Tidelands Health
Patients at Tidelands Health Pediatrics can get a helping hand during their doctor’s visits thanks to students at St. James Middle School.
For the second year, the Junior Beta Club worked for two weeks in March to collect diapers, bottles, wipes, spoons, bibs, socks and more baby items to donate to the pediatrics practice on Holmestown Road to help parents in need.
“This is amazing,” Jessi DuBose, director of women and children’s services at Tidelands Health, said as she loaded boxes of donated items in her vehicle Thursday outside the middle school. “You may think, ‘This pack of baby spoons doesn’t cost much,’ but for a family struggling to pay for diapers, wipes and more to care for a baby, it could be a valuable blessing. To raise healthy babies, parents need the basic items to care for their little ones. This donation goes a long way in helping parents in need in our community.”
That’s a lesson not lost on the club’s members who organized the “Community Closet Drive.” The seventh and eighth graders made posters promoting the effort, solicited donations from fellow students and local businesses, inventoried the collections in spreadsheets and more. They even created a friendly competition between classes to offer an extra incentive – candy and bragging rights - for students throughout the middle school to donate.
“I’m very fortunate in life, and I wanted to give back to help other people,” said Slade Strickland, a seventh grader and club member who brought in more than 100 items.
“Even the smallest things can help,” club member Connor vonDeck, also a seventh grader, added.
The idea for a donation drive to benefit patients at Tidelands Health Pediatrics originally developed a year ago. Teacher and club sponsor Angela Tester, who was pregnant with her second child at the time, wanted an effort that would honor mothers during March’s Women’s History Month while teaching students the valuable lesson of giving back to their community.
“Being a mother is not easy and never has been,” Tester said. “When you are able to give – even if not in a monetary way – give what you can, support mothers and take care of your community. The kids really kicked into high gear.”
The donated items – including 90 packs of wipes, 15 pairs of socks and a dozen packs of diapers – will be given to Tidelands Health Pediatrics patients with a demonstrated need.
“As our pediatricians provide care to babies, they at times will discover some mothers facing severe challenges in getting the supplies needed to raise healthy babies,” DuBose said. “While we always connect parents with resources for support, this donation will put needed items directly in their hands. We are so grateful to the students at St. James Middle School for their work in making this happen for our patients.”
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About Tidelands Health
Tidelands Health is the region’s largest health care provider and MUSC Health affiliate, serving the Carolinas at four hospitals and more than 60 outpatient locations. More than 2,500 employee, physician and volunteer partners work side by side with our communities to transform the health of our region – promoting wellness, preventing illness, encouraging recovery and restoring health.