HB the Change, a club that holds many charity events and gives back to the community, recently took part in an event of going to the Families in Transition shelter to help provide comfort to the newly joined families.

The residents of the shelter are families who are currently transitioning into the homeless stage and are becoming acclimated to the changes temporarily. On Jan. 28, HB the Change hosted a social event which helped the families with their surroundings and the new transition.

“The experience was very eye-opening. I saw firsthand that single-mother families are impacted for unfortunate circumstances, drugs and alcohol and bad luck. It was heartbreaking to see kids suffer because of these things,” says Ann Melim, a co-advisor of HB the Change.

Many students who attended this activity were touched. “I helped a mom who was struggling with technology to download and set up a program that she was using to take college classes,” says Maddie Norris ‘19, one of the newest members of HB the Change. “I think it’s really important for these kids to know that somebody believes in them whether it be in school, sports or life in general,” says Norris.

“The biggest thing [at the homeless shelter] was making connections with people, forming friendships with people we would never come in contact with,” says Lisa Danis, English teacher and advisor of HB the Change.

The club focuses on helping others who have rough day to day lives. “We are going to continue our service projects, and we are adding to family and transition in the spring. We’re going to work on their garden. We’re looking for the spring to do a project with Habitat for Humanity,” says Lisa Danis. The club plans on making another visit to the shelter and hoping to expand their kindness to other organizations.

The club hopes to revisit the shelter again, and the families are eager for their second trip. “I actually wanted to go back later on in the week to check up on one of the girls I met and really connected with,” says Melim.