New Human Services Club Lends a Helping Hand

Imagine not having a coat, hat, gloves, warm clothing, or shoes that don’t match or fit. For some students in the Southbridge School system this is their reality.

Anthony Yeulenski is no stranger to helping those in need. He has a long history of raising money for nonprofits such as the Webster Dudley Food Share, Salvation Army and agencies that serve adults with disabilities. As an Associate Professor in Human Services, Rehabilitation and Social Work Studies at Quinsigamond Community College, he saw a way to help the Southbridge community and engage his students by starting a Human Services Club. Quickly a group of close to 20 students joined the club and began collecting items for those students experiencing hardships.

The results were nothing short of miraculous. The students collected a total of:

• 62 children's winter jackets  
• 42 boots/shoes
• 71 sweatshirts
• 124 new pairs of gloves/mittens
• 26 hand-knit hats
• 31 scarves
• 75 children’s outfits
• 18 pajamas/sweatpants
• Six pairs of snow pants
• 45 winter hats
• 33 socks
• 57 high school clothing items
• 82 tubes of toothpaste
• 21 bottles of body wash
• 108 toothbrushes

An additional $450 in gift cards were also donated and used to purchase toys for 40 children, deemed to be in the greatest need by the Southbridge school family support liaison.

“The family liaison set up tables for families to come and do their shopping. She had an extensive list that included the 40 children looking for holiday presents,” said Professor Yeulenski.

Thanks to QCC students Kathleen Mendez, Elizabeth Umutetsi, Val Jordan, Jaida Fullerton, Danielle Provencher, Nicole Eccleston, Melanie Bazillion, Silvia Ventura, Pharadja Faustin, Trinh Nguyen, Dezary Guzman, Jessenia Baez, Charles De Ortel, Gail Delgado, Michaela Scherer, Jennifer De Los Santos, Hannah Rosenkraus and Vavier Milner, for making a difference in the lives of others.