Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students of the Elementary School (ES), SES through grade four,

This year’s charity project will again benefit the Children’s Inn at the NIH, but it will be a little bit different this year. Due to Covid-19, we wanted to ensure that our annual cause will be safe for the families at the Children’s Inn, and for our families in the GISW. Thus, after consulting with the Children’s Inn, we will not organize a food drive, but instead put our focus on helping the Children’s Inn meet their needs through their online wish lists and donations page.

The Children’s Inn (https://childrensinn.org/), comparable with a hotel setting, is located by the National Institute of Health providing assistance to the families of children being treated at the NIH for life-threatening illnesses. NIH’s young patients come from all corners of the United States, and even from overseas, to receive long-term and intensive treatments. Many families are not in a financial position to pay for hotels on a long-term basis while also carrying the financial responsibility of medical treatments. The Children’s Inn provides families with a “home away from home” during their difficult and stressful times. This enables families to remain close to their children while they are receiving medical treatments.

Starting immediately and through Thanksgiving (November 26th), we would like to encourage you to purchase items from the Children’s Inn wish lists, or to consider a donation. You can find the lists and information here:

https://childrensinn.org/inn-wish-list/

The Children’s Inn frequently updates their wish lists with new items that they need. Included are things like household goods, toys, toiletries, and gift cards. When you purchase items or donate, we would like to encourage you to include a note indicating your …. To the GISW.

Like every year, I will also introduce the Children’s Inn to each class and explain how the project will be different this year. In lieu of a poster sized card from the GISW elementary school, I have created an online card that students and parents can sign and/or write greetings and encouragements on. Kids can also get creative and draw pictures, scan or take a photo of them and add them to the board. This document will be open and live until Wednesday, November 25th when I will send it to the Children’s Inn. You can find the link to the card here: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/NWiPPSXK

We are looking forward to working together on such a great cause!

Sincerely

Ulrike Schweitzer, ES Counselor

in collaboration with the ES Principal and ES Colleagues