Detroit, Mich. July 22, 2013– The Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS) is pleased to announce that Bethune Elementary/Middle School in Detroit is the recipient of a $10,000 donation from Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM) and its partner, S.A.Y. Detroit. The purpose of the generous donation is to ensure that all students attending Bethune have a new school uniform to wear to class for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year.
The announcement was made at a school assembly before Bethune students, teachers, and staff on Monday, July 22.
“Research tells us students have better attendance records in schools where the children wear uniforms,” said Maura Corrigan, DHS Director. “Improving school attendance is one of the missions of our Pathways to Potential program. This generous donation will help us toward achieving that goal.”
Currently, more than 800 students attend Bethune, a member school of the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) and also a DHS Pathways to Potential school with an on-site success coach.
“It is essential that we remove barriers that hinder our students’ progress,” said Antoinette Pearson, principal at Bethune. “To some, providing uniforms seems simplistic, but lack of uniforms impacts attendance, discipline, and achievement. We are so grateful for this wonderful donation!”
The Dress Them For Success program began as a recent grassroots project by DHS employees to personally assist students and client families who were struggling to provide uniforms in the urban core school districts.
That effort, which raised more than $10,000, initially through donations by DHS employees, has now expanded with outreach by former State Sen. Bill Hardiman to include partners like Detroit Rescue Ministries. “It’s through the generosity of our donors that we are able to donate this $10,000 to provide school uniforms for these children,” said Dr. Chad Audi, President of DRMM. Those donors include the S.A.Y. Detroit charitable group, founded by noted author, columnist, and broadcaster Mitch Albom.
For more information on the Department of Human Services and Pathways, please visit www.michigan.giv/dhs