The students at Kraybill Mennonite School (KMS) in Mount Joy live by the Word of God, including the importance of serving others. "It tells us in the Bible (to give to others)," said kindergartner Ruby Hershey.

She was one of the students schoolwide who participated in a project to support Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Services (ECHOS) in December.

Students collected packages of individually wrapped snack items to assemble to-go bags for the organization. Students also decorated brown paper bags and worked together to assemble the bags with the food items that guests at the Elizabethtown Emergency Shelter can take with them when they leave the shelter for the day.

"One of the goals of KMS is to share the love of Jesus with our community," said fifth-grade teacher Cindy Raezer, who coordinated the project with kindergarten teacher Ashlie Cobb. "This is a tangible way to show that love. It is also important for the students to learn at a young age to give to others."

Each year, staff members at the school choose a Christmas project for students to help a local organization. ECHOS was a natural choice, Cobb said. "After looking into this amazing organization, we saw all that they do to support residents in our community who are struggling with housing and food insecurity," she recalled. Working with ECHOS community engagement coordinator Carrie Stricker, they decided to help fill the to-go bags for shelter guests. "Because of the overwhelming generosity of our KMS families, we were able to donate 500 to-go bags," Cobb said.

The donations filled three vehicles, she noted, and the project engaged students of all ages.

"When we say that this is an all-school Christmas giving project, it truly was all school," Cobb noted. "The entire KMS community worked together, from families and staff bringing in donations, our littlest ones in pre-K to our oldest ones in eighth grade decorating brown paper bags, students assembling the 500 bags, carrying donations and loading them into vehicles. Our students and families worked together as a body to support ECHOS with this donation."

While the project made an impact on the guests at the shelter, it also positively affected the students at KMS. "It felt good to help people who are in need," said fifth-grader Peyton Hopper.

Added sixth-grader Cydney Patrick, "I learned that it feels pretty good to give, and it's good to give to others who need stuff. I think it's important to give to others."