Top left: Volunteers from Yale Appliance and the Yale Appliance Foundation come out in force to help ensure young students have the winter footwear they need to stay warm, safe, and active. Bottom right: JFS Youth Board Member Talia Frieze helps a youngster find the perfect-fit boots for the season ahead. Photos Axie Breen.
As winter approaches, families with limited income often face difficult choices as heating costs, clothing needs, and other seasonal expenses add up. To help ensure that young students are prepared to stay warm, active, and engaged at school, JFS once again partnered with the Yale Appliance Company, the Yale Appliance Foundation, and Framingham Public Schools to host a winter footwear distribution for families at Harmony Grove Elementary School.
From left: JFS CEO, Lino Covarrubias; volunteers Eileen Bogle, Cathy Boskey, Beth Volk, and Ellen Pieper; JFS Senior Director of Philanthropy, Jayne Lampert; volunteers Andrea Sussman and Jenny Marte.
During the event, JFS staff and volunteers joined Yale Appliance employees and school personnel to help children select and properly size winter boots, ensuring each student left with footwear that would keep them warm and comfortable throughout the season. Having appropriate winter boots is especially important for school-aged children, allowing them to safely enjoy outdoor recess, release energy, and return to the classroom ready to learn.
JFS staff members guide volunteers and work closely with families to distribute more than 250 pairs of winter boots to students in need. Pictured top right: Volunteer Jenny Marte with Director of Volunteer Services IJ Anyanwu; bottom left Homecare Coordinator Ana Lisa Sanborn with Case Manager Vera de Souza. Photos: Axie Breen.
Families most in need were identified in close coordination with family support coordinators across the Framingham Public School system. Thanks to the continued generosity of the Yale Appliance Company and the Yale Appliance Foundation, more than 250 children received winter footwear through this year’s distribution.
Since 2021, Yale Appliance Company and the Yale Appliance Foundation have been valued partners of JFS, helping ensure that children in Framingham have access to essential seasonal footwear. Over the past four years, more than 1,750 pairs of shoes and boots have been distributed through annual events like this one, as well as through ongoing inventory made available via the JFS/FPS Resource Room.
From left: JFS CEO, Lino Covarrubias; Yale Appliance CEO, Steve Sheinkopf; Framingham Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Robert Tremblay; Framingham Public Schools, Director of Partnerships, Yemi Ajao; and JFS Senior Director of Innovation and Community Engagement, Adam Smith. Photo: Axie Breen.
The Yale Appliance Foundation was established to support veterans, older adults, students, and individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Boston, the South Shore, and Metrowest communities, and its continued partnership with JFS reflects a shared commitment to meeting basic needs and strengthening families.
JFS is deeply grateful to the Yale Appliance Company, the Yale Appliance Foundation, and Framingham Public Schools for their collaboration and dedication to the well-being of local children and families.
Thank you for partnering with JFS to advance social, academic, and health equity across our community.