Volunteer rounds up kids’ circle of friends to pitch in

Episcopal school helps needy, teaches about philanthropy.

FULTON BUCKHEAD

Though it seems far off, summer is already on Stephanie Briles’ mind. Specifically, the Buckhead mom is thinking about the children who will arrive on the Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School campus for Horizons, six weeks of intensive study designed to stave off the “summer slide.”

Briles got a close-up look at how the summer program works when she visited it last year.

“It was the first time I walked through and saw how amazing it was,” she said. “The kids were so appreciative and thankful. It really moves you.”

Briles learned about Horizons while volunteering with Children Helping Children, a nonprofit that runs a number of projects to support children in need. During the COVID shutdown, she learned that many of the Horizons students were dealing with food shortages, so she organized gift cards and resource drives. She also supported Children Helping Children’s mission to

include other children in the philanthropic process by having her sixth- and fourth-grade sons help out.

“My biggest thing was getting my children and their friends involved,” she said. “We’ve done things like pack food, collect school supplies and provide snacks.”

But that initial visit to Horizon last year upped her commitment to make a difference for the summer students. In January, she organized a collection drive at Holy Innocents’ to provide supplies that went beyond sketch pads and colored paper to include swimsuits, towels, goggles,

sewing kits, modeling clay, puzzle books and snacks.

“During the holidays, organizations get a ton of donations, but people tend to disappear in January and February,” she said. “I thought this was a good time to do something before spring sports start, and kids still have time to help out.”

Briles targeted families in her sons’ grades for donations from a wish list. She then scheduled a packing session Feb. 10 to load the supplies into backpacks. One of the key components of the project was getting Holy Innocents’ students and families involved personally.

“I wanted it to be something kids could actually do,” Briles said. “We gave them the opportunity to put the backpacks together. And they wrote a positive note to each (child) and tied it onto the bags.”

The Holy Innocents’ helpers will also be on hand to give out the backpacks to the roughly 200 Horizon students expected in mid-June. And Briles recently joined the Horizons advisory council.

“I love to do st ufflike this; it makes me feel good,” Briles said. “If you’re not with the kids, you don’t really get it. And our kids realize how much those kids appreciate what’s being done.”

COURTESY Volunteers from Atlanta’s Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School stuff backpacks for summer students with donations including swimsuits, towels, goggles, sewing kits, modeling clay, puzzle books and snacks.