Hartford

MLC Students Heading to Puerto Rico Selling Socks to Raise Money

Students in Bloomfield are getting ready for a mission trip to Puerto Rico nearly five months after Hurricane Maria destroyed most of the island. 

"We’re going to be helping rebuild homes, specifically roofs,” one student, Isabella Tawfik, said.

Images of the destruction struck a chord with students at the CREC Metropolitan Learning Center (MLC) for Global and International Studies and they decided to help. 

On Feb. 25, three staff members and 13 MLC students will be heading to Isabella, Puerto Rico for five days.  

“We want to go there, bring hope to them and let them know that they’ve not been forgotten. We are here together and MLC is there with them,” counselor Antonella Maccarone said. 

Emily Godeck, one of the students going to Puerto Rico, said there is a lot to do before they leave.

“We’re going through all the stuff that we’re getting – like all of the shampoos, all the products – and making sure they’re new and putting them into suitcases,” Godeck said.

The group plans to bring 22 suitcases filled with donations the students collected.

Local organizations have also collected donations, like the Excelsior Lodge No.3 in Hartford. The organization and brought everything from baby diapers and toiletries to the school on Wednesday morning. 

In addition to collecting donations, the students have been selling socks online. All the money raised will be to buy gift cards when they get to Puerto Rico and then given to families who need the help.

Everyone going on the mission trip is paying their own way.

“It’s going to help me open my eyes to see something that other people are going through that I’m not going through,” Trinitee Williams, another student, said. 

HOW TO HELP:

Until Feb. 25, students will be selling socks as part of their Rock Some Socks for Puerto Rico campaign. The money raised will be used to buy gift cards in Puerto Rico, which will be given to families in need on the island.

Socks are $12 and come in bright colors and fun patterns in sizes for women, men and children.

To order a pair of socks, head to the website.

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