“Treat everyone with kindness. We don’t know the shoes that people are walking in.”
This May, we celebrate Lesa.
She’s an all-star volunteer who has served with Care to Learn for almost three years, packing hygiene kits, restocking the Care to Learn Closet Project, and more.
But her heart for helping kids started long ago.
“I used to be a homeroom mother with Ash Grove Elementary,” said Lesa. “I saw firsthand how many kids were affected by poverty in our community.”
She and her fellow homeroom moms would provide weekend meals for kids who needed a little extra help. She wanted them to have food to make it through the weekend.
Now she gives back by giving time to Care to Learn.
“If we can help kids feel clean, nourished, and comfortable in their own skin, then that’s a great cause.”
Lesa serves with her fellow core group of remote Mercy volunteers. They all work in different cities as part of their remote work, but enjoy coming together to serve at Care to Learn.
“Respect, dignity, and service are all part of our Mercy values and mission,” says Lesa. “Care to Learn puts dignity in children's hands so they don’t have to be embarrassed and bullied.”
She enjoys giving back and has seen the need firsthand while helping out in the clinics.
“We want to do the right thing for our patients in the same way that Care to Learn does with kids. We want them to get the care they need to succeed.”
To Lisa, the little things matter.
“The simple act of taking care of one another matters. Whether it’s providing a child a new hair brush, or a brand new coat - it’s simple things that make people better.”
- Lesa Wood, Care to Learn Volunteer
“Earlier this year, there were so many brand-new coats,” said Lesa. “I remember the Care to Learn staff were admiring them. I love that kids are getting quality, brand-new items, and they aren’t cookie-cutter either. They are different and unique for students. No one has to know that these were not purchased by their family.”
Thank you, Lesa, for all you do! You’re a rock star volunteer and we can’t wait to see you again!
Be a Helping Hand, Like Lesa!
The coming school year is just around the corner. Help us prepare for students by hosting a hygiene drive, organizing a dress-down day for a good cause, or making a gift!