Gravel, ruins... Countless people urgently need help.
When we learned about the earthquakes and disasters in Turkey and Syria, a movement about love and action began in Newton..
Crossing borders, spreading love
When disasters strike, we, who live on this planet, are not only a community, but also a community with shared responsibilities. Upon learning about the strong earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, we prayed for the more than 24 million disaster victims affected by this devastating disaster. At the same time, we took this opportunity to educate children about love, and we had discussions with them using the "Turkey earthquake" as the theme.
Discussion：
Teacher: Children, do you know Turkey? Turkey is a very beautiful country, very far from China, it takes a day to fly there. On February 6th, there was a huge earthquake in Turkey, have you heard about it?
Child 1: I heard my dad talking about it, many people were buried under their houses, many kids lost their parents...
Child 2: When there's an earthquake, the house collapses, and they have no home anymore.
Child 3: They eat and sleep in tents.
Teacher: It's now the cold winter, people affected by the disaster in Turkey have no home, what do they need? Let's think together about how we can help them.
Child 4: We can help them build houses, then they will have a home...
Child 5: We can send clothes and shoes to them, I have some New Year's money.
Child 6: I can send my toys to the kids in Turkey.
Child 7: My mom has hand warmers, they won't be cold in the winter anymore.
After the enthusiastic discussion among the children, the teachers used vivid pictures to help the children understand natural disasters, what the adults and children in the disaster area need, and how we can help those affected by the disaster. The teachers then took the children on a tour of the post-earthquake disaster area set up on the school campus, where medical supplies, tents, sleeping bags, blankets, and various daily necessities were provided by the school and parents. This allowed the children to better understand what the disaster victims need, and to see how parents and teachers are helping those affected by the disaster through their own actions.
Gathers small contributions into a great wave of love
The Love Action of Newton Community kicks off in the spring of February!
On February 10th, in response to the material needs announcement from the Turkish and Syrian embassies, we launched a donation campaign to all employees and families of young children. We hope to provide temporary tents for refugees to take shelter in during the cold winter after losing their homes, as well as warm clothing and basic hygiene supplies, to help them get through this difficult time.
After the call for donations was made, enthusiastic parents of Newton responded immediately, making full use of their resources to collect all kinds of materials. Some parents delivered 250 brand new sleeping bags to the kindergarten overnight. Others donated more than 200 sets of warm underwear, over 200 pairs of underwear, 200 raincoats, and hundreds of pairs of socks. Some children donated their Chinese New Year money. After a week of collection, various daily supplies such as diapers, sanitary napkins, blankets, down jackets, windbreakers, toothbrushes, soap, towels, and wet wipes were delivered to the kindergarten one after another. Newton's faculty and staff also showed their love with practical actions, donating money and items, sorting and counting, packaging and boxing...contributing their own efforts.
Small acts of kindness bring great love. All the donated supplies from the parents of two Newton campuses were packed into two large containers. These donation materials, full of blessings, warmth, and love, were successfully delivered to the designated receiving locations of the Turkish and Syrian embassies in China at around 4 pm on February 17th. The on-site staff signed for and stored the supplies.
The love of the Newton community will cross over mountains and rivers, fly over more than nine thousand miles, carrying love beyond borders to reach a distant land, and pass on love to the people in need of a faraway foreign country, hoping to bring some help to their post-disaster life.
Accumulate and pass on love.
Since its opening in 2006, Newton's annual charity fair has supported various charitable organizations and their projects such as "Warm Winter Blanket Project," "Coal for Heating Project," "Picture Books for Mountain Areas," "Subsidies for Poor Substitute Teachers in Mountainous Areas," "Drinking Water Project," and "Dream Fulfillment Program for Suzhou Children's Hospital" in partnership with organizations like the Children and Youth Foundation, Tang Mama Charity Fund, Suzhou Small Animal Protection Association, Suzhou Xuelianhua Aid for Education, Suzhou Yijiayi Public Welfare Center, and Suzhou TV's Chaohui Helps You program. Since 2015, Newton's two kindergartens have regularly donated love funds to the Suzhou Small Animal Protection Association every month. Since January 2021, we have also helped two students from Liangshan area in Sichuan Province to maintain their education and daily life, as well as donate to ten sick children, sending them love and warmth.
The 17-year-long Newton love action is a persistence, a beam of warmth, and we believe that the seed of charity will germinate and grow in the heart of every child. We believe that each gift from the heart, every little act of love, is the most unique gift that Newton gives to children's growth!
Thank you once again to every Newton parent and staff member who participated in this donation event with their acts of kindness!
May the people of Turkey and Syria soon recover their beautiful homes and live in peace and happiness!
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