Give Back Tuesdays Offer Meaningful Connections Beyond the School Day
On Give Back Tuesdays, the end of the academic day marks the beginning of something bigger in the Middle School as students head off to package cookies, mentor younger children, and assemble snack bags for families in need. The initiative fills the cold winter afternoons with energy, purpose, and the shared goal of making a difference in the local community.
Launched in November 2021, Give Back Tuesdays was created to provide middle school students with flexible, after-school service opportunities. The idea stemmed from students' experiences in the Lower School King Cares Club.
“I was having families reach out and ask if there was something similar in Middle School as their children moved up,” recalled Director of King Cares Service Karen Raidt. “It evolved from there with the difference of giving middle school students the flexibility of signing up for the activities they are interested in.”
The after-school program is designed to complement the many King Cares initiatives woven into the year through partnerships with local organizations, including Baking Happiness Co., founded by four King siblings, the Boys and Girls Club of Stamford, and Filling in the Blanks.
“I try to participate in as many as I can,” said Ella Bernstein ’31. “My favorite part is knowing how much of an impact our actions can make, and that we can change a person's day just by participating.”
This year’s first initiative brought middle school students to the Upper School to package cookies alongside lower school students and members of Baking Happiness Co. The packaged treats were included in meals distributed by Person to Person, which provides food assistance to residents of Fairfield County.
“I decided to participate in Give Back Tuesdays because I like to help the community,” said Cordelia Hayes ’32. “Something I found meaningful was how we would write little messages on the cookie bags to make people smile.”
Additional food assistance was provided on another Tuesday by assembling Food for Kids snack bags for Filling in the Blanks, an organization dedicated to fighting childhood hunger by providing meals to children in need on weekends.
Off campus, students spent time with children at the Boys and Girls Club Yerwood Center in Stamford. During their time in the group, they assisted in the homework room and reading room and participated in lively gym activities.
With approximately eight to ten students participating in each session, Give Back Tuesdays fosters meaningful connections at King through hands-on impact.
The program continues to evolve its offerings as its reputation spreads beyond King.
“Organizations know they can reach out with an idea,” said Raidt. “Today I had a call from Stamford Hospital. The coordinator had an idea for dementia patients and thought about King and if the students would be interested in thinking of a project that might help.”