WJZ staff takes part in Volunteer Day in South Baltimore community
Volunteers from WJZ stepped inside Curtis Bay Elementary School and picked up gardening tools right next door at the Filbert Street Garden on Wednesday.
WJZ partnered with United Way of Central Maryland for Volunteer Day.
"They're putting together summer STEM kits for the kids to take home," said Beth Littrell, the associate vice president of Community engagement and volunteerism with United Way of Central Maryland.
"Helping to advance their mathematics and science skills," said Tanya Black, WJZ's Vice President of News.
Giving back to the students
The team helped students get ready for the summer.
"It's our 100th anniversary," Littrell said. "So, they are packing up 100 items, and kids are going to use those 100 items to make something that can help the community in the next 100 years."
Volunteers filled each backpack with pipe cleaners, rubber bands, and other items that will be given to roughly 450 students.
Beautifying a Baltimore community garden
As some volunteers worked inside, another group worked to beautify the Filbert Street Community Garden.
The garden holds chickens, turkeys, and goats. It's a space that's meant to educate the community while also feeding residents living in a food desert.
Volunteers removed hay, spread manure, and fed chickens.
Jen Huie, an animal caretaker with the community garden, said this work lightened the load for those who work at the garden that serves about 1,000 people each month.
"The labor you're providing would take our stewards and our animal husbandry coordinator many, many hours to accomplish," Huie said.
Work and some play
When the work was done, volunteers had some fun with students and participated in a soccer game with 4th and 5th graders. They connected with students and staff, hoping to give them a different meaning to being 'on your corner.'
"We have to cover these communities every single day," Black said. "That's our job, right. That's our responsibility to this community. But then showing up and doing this, that's not a part of it, but for us it is, and it's from the heart."
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