A multi-faith group of students have been found to be kind, twice over.
Last February the Richmond News reported on students from Az Zahraa Academy and Richmond Jewish Day School packing and delivering lunches to low-income and homeless people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside as part of Random Acts of Kindness week.
Their acts of kindness were recognized by the non-profit organization Random Acts, which oversees and promotes many RAK actions across the continent. For the students’ efforts Random Acts handed the Grade 6 and 7 students $3,000 for their schools.
But instead of keeping the money the students decided to give it to Covenant House Vancouver, an organization that helps youth affected by abuse, addiction, health problems and/or poverty reach a point in their lives where they can achieve independence.
To boot, another donor matched the donation, meaning Covenant took in a much-needed $6,000.
“When Random Acts presented us with the award, this was another opportunity for students to shine and really show us what we have been trying to teach them - and they did. They chose to pay it forward and show empathy, compassion and leadership. We are truly moved and humbled by our students,” said Az Zahraa teacher Jessie Claudio via email.
“We hope we were able to foster a sense of doing for others and showing them the incredible power of collaboration and how they are able to make a difference in the world one step at a time,” added Claudio, who worked hand–in-hand with Jewish Day School teacher Shoshana Burton.
“It is empowering to see the impact of our teaching and that it has gone beyond just a good lesson plan,” said Burton via email.
The group logged over 100 hours of community service in Richmond and Vancouver. Other acts of kindness included sharing time with their grandparents at the school.
The students modeled their kindness from Abraham, a soul formed in the image of kindness, hospitality and generosity in both Judaism and Islam. They dubbed their project in one of Canada’s poorest communities as “Abraham’s Tent.”
The kind acts were also documented on CBC to the delight of the enthusiastic students.
Claudio and Burton hope to grow the Abraham’s Tent program and invite other schools to join with them next year.
@WestcoastWood
