Hub City program donates to schools in Jackson-Madison County

JACKSON, Tenn.–“I feel secure in a way that makes me feel like I’m at home,” said 8th grader Nevaeh Coleman.

This is the feeling a Jackson-Madison County student gets when hygiene items from the 2018 Leadership Jackson class are donated to their school.

“We decided to bounce some ideas around and this one stood out to us,” said former Leadership Jackson member Aubrey Richardson.

Richardson said their program wanted to help students be more focused on education in school, rather than hygiene insecurities.

“Well, we think that students perform better when they feel better,” Richardson said.

So the program’s ‘Dignity Project’ donated laundry detergent as well as hygiene items to local Jackson-Madison County Schools.

Jackson Careers and Technology Magnet Elementary School was one of the schools who received the items, receiving a washer and dryer a year ago by different organization.

“Once it came into the school, it was a difference,” Coleman said.

Coleman, who attends JCT, said the items have helped students at her school.

“It’s benefited the students like mentally as well as emotionally because some students at our school don’t really have that kind of care at home,” Coleman said.

Coleman’s classmate Cheyenne Love said the donations help her and the basketball team.

“So now that we got our washer and dryer, when we get done we can just bring them here and they wash them for us,” Love said.

“I feel like it should be in every school because you never know what could take place in a child’s life,” Coleman said.

“They know that’s not an excuse not to go to school, and you know that takes a little pressure off of them,” JCT Principal James Walker said.

Leadership Jackson has also donated items to North Parkway Middle School, Parkview Learning Center and Nova Pre-K.

The Leadership Jackson’s ‘Dignity Closet’ is also accepting donations for the students. To find out how to give, email Shelby Matthis.