Generosity in Action: LEAD’s Holiday Gifting Tradition
At LEAD Public Schools, the holiday season becomes a powerful moment of community connection and compassion. Our staff transforms the spirit of giving into tangible support for students and their families by creating a heartfelt tradition of care and generosity.
Each year, LEAD’s dedicated family engagement team leads an inspiring initiative that goes beyond academic support. Through an internal fundraising campaign, staff members carefully select and personally purchase holiday gifts and essential household items for over 50 families. These gifts are then wrapped and personally delivered directly to students’ homes across the city, creating meaningful connections that extend far beyond the classroom walls. Now in its fifth consecutive year, this program embodies LEAD’s commitment to supporting the whole family and strengthening community bonds during the holiday season.
“I believe that this initiative creates a profound impact on our families,” said Caleb Corlew, co-lead of our holiday giving initiative this year. “This initiative has become a cherished tradition at LEAD Public Schools, and families eagerly anticipate it throughout the year. Witnessing the excitement and joy of families is a true honor.”
“It is extremely important that we support our families,” said Cierra Tutton, family and community engagement coordinator for the network. “This isn’t something we do just during the holiday season but year round with our Serve Other Stations and The LEAD Exchange. The Holiday Outreach initiative allows us to focus on a select group of students that are nominated by staff for exemplifying the LEAD values.”
Serve Others Stations, which were created in 2020, provide necessities all year round, and LEAD has supplied hundreds of boxes of necessities, thousands of dollars in support, uniforms, clothing, and internet assistance in the last four years.
The LEAD Exchange is a newer initiative at LEAD Neely’s Bend, and it rewards students for daily attendance at school. For each day at school, students receive $5.00 to spend in our on-campus market, which is stocked with household essentials, non-perishable foods, and other necessity items. Families are able to use the bucks their child earns on a monthly shopping day.
“The needs of our families are not limited to a particular season. Different circumstances arise every day, and we understand that. We never turn our backs on our families,” said Corlew. “Our families choose to LEAD every day, and we want to be there for them to support them when they need us.”
“It has been a complete pleasure to shop for each student,” said Tutton about the holiday giving initiative. “We have even built relationships with a few store clerks who were eager to help us get the best of the best items for each student. This initiative is a constant reminder of why we do what we do daily.”
“My hope is that families and students feel seen, heard, and joy. We need and value our families and students so this is just a thank you for being who you are and being LEADers not only at school but at home as well.” –Cierra Tutton, LEAD’s Family and Community Engagement Coordinator
If you are interested in helping LEAD families this holiday season, click here.
