MPowering Kids Building Friendships While Collecting Garbage

May 5, 2010 – On Sunday May 16^th, the Westbury families of the MPowering Kids Program will participate in their ‘2^nd Annual Beach Cleanup and Potluck Picnic’ at Jones Beach.  In collaboration with the Coastal Stewards and Operation Splash, they will have Short Beach cleared of a whole winter’s worth of debris by the time the barbeques are hot.

The Coastal Steward’s mission is to provide environmental restoration on Long Island.  Operation S.P.L.A.S.H. (Stop Polluting, Littering and Save Harbors) is an all-volunteer group that provides a solution to the growing problem of waterfront pollution through public awareness and individual participation.  These volunteers have been collecting debris along Nassau County’s gorgeous south shore beaches since 1989.

More than 50 of the MPowering Kids students, aged 11 – 17, are looking forward to this event.  In addition to receiving after-school tutoring, mentoring and cultural enrichment, the students plan and implement ‘MPathy’ community service projects throughout each year. This one is clearly a favorite!  The families join their children as they learn to be agents of change on Long Island.  Spending a day at the beach together strengthens the bonds between the families whose children attend the MPowering Kids program, an added benefit that ensures their sense of belonging to a group that shares their own family’s ideals.  Creating friendships with members of the two partner environmental groups connects these families to their Long Island neighbors beyond Westbury and confirms a sense of shared responsibility.  And then there’s the amazing scenery and home-cooked food – what a way to rejoice in our Island’s riches!

MPowering Kids is a non-profit charitable organization, serving more than fifty children in Westbury.  The MPowering Kids staff and volunteers work closely with students from fourth grade through their high school graduation, offering nine years of programs and opportunities to acquire the skills, habits and attitudes necessary to succeed in college and in life.

For information, please visit www.mpoweringkids.org.