The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Agency hosting student contest
The Fair Housing Resource Center is asking students, parents, and community members to nominate their school to win a free Buddy Bench for their school.
Hollie Rondini, the center’s program director, said the idea for the grant came after noticing the positive impact it had on her daughter’s school and thought it would be a great benefit for other local communities.
“The buddy bench allows students who do not have friends, are shy, or are new to the school to sit on the bench in hopes that other students will see and allow them to join in their play,” Rondini said.
FHRC is a non-profit organization that offers several housing programs that benefit residents of Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties. Its mission is to promote equal housing opportunities for all people and to advocate for fair housing and diversity in Lake County and surrounding communities through the education and involvement of the public, the governments, and the business community.
Executive Director Patricia Kidd believes the classroom is the perfect place to promote tolerance, appreciation for diversity, and fair treatment. She thinks this contest can educate schoolage children and foster peer support in the effort to confront bullying.
“Our goal is to provide these benches and educate the recipients of this valuable message in hopes that schools will consider this idea as an integral part of a larger curriculum aimed at inclusive school cultures.” she said.
The center will be giving away a total of three benches — one in each of the counties it covers. It will purchase and assist with the installation of each bench into a local community school.
For more information, visit its Facebook page.
“A buddy bench is a simple concept that promotes friendship, inclusion, and kindness,” Kidd said. “During recess, some students have difficulty making friends or fostering relationships with their fellow peers.”