It’s not every day you get to meet the person who graced the cover of a recent Time magazine. But it’s also not every day that the high-profile periodical features an Albany resident.
On Friday our students met, virtually, with Jammella Anderson. She’s the 30-year-old who, peak-pandemic, started Free Food Fridge Albany; a network of nine publicly accessible, stocked refrigerators in Albany and Troy that anyone can choose from, at any time, to feed themselves or their family.
Make that ten fridges, with Montessori Magnet School’s help.
Anderson presented along with Capital Walls’ Tony Iadicicco, the creative force behind many recent public art projects in the city, and the duo didn’t just share their different but equally important stories of advocacy with our students. They also instilled in them the importance of making a difference, even at their young ages. Anderson also brainstormed ways that our MMS community can raise money to help Free Food Fridge Albany purchase another fridge to help even more neighbors.
Once we reach our fundraising goal of $750, students will collaboratively decorate the refrigerator (in a very Montessori way!) before it’s placed and up and running.
We will provide fundraising updates so please let Mr. Powell know if your child did something special to “earn” money earmarked for ‘Fund the Fridge’ or if s/he creatively approached friends and family for contributions.
When sending in donations (due by May 24), please address them to grade 5 teacher Nora Bakes, who is spearheading this service-learning project for MMS. Donations can also be made via Venmo (handle: Nora-Bakes).
We are incredibly excited to imbed advocacy in action into our every-day learning and are confident this school-wide initiative will unite remote and on-site learners with a shared goal of serving our community. Thanks, in advance, for your support!
