NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV) – A former Neenah teacher is asking for the public’s help in his mission to give back to the community.
Joe Lewis created a ‘blessing box’ back in 2017 at the now Horace Mann Elementary School. This past December, as a retirement gift, school staff put up another blessing box outside the middle school in his honor.
“Our mantra is take what you need, bring what you can,” Lewis says.
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Lewis got the idea about the box on Facebook while looking at a post from an Oshkosh community page.
He says, “As a longtime teacher here at Neenah, I know there are a lot of families that are in need. Sometimes it’s a temporary need, and sometimes it’s a long sustained need, but it means a lot to me that people join me in this little mission to try to make a little difference in our community.”
While he tries to donate when he can, Lewis is looking for more people to provide non-perishable food and personal hygiene items for those in need.
“It relies on the generosity of the many, because otherwise, it’s just a few people, and resources are somewhat limited, so we need a lot of people to contribute,” he says.
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While Lewis is happy to lend a helping hand, it is also a message he wants to pass on to students.
He says, “I always believe it’s our job as people to leave the world a better place than we found it. If I can mentor the young kids and show them the importance of looking out for their neighbors, that is a legacy I would like to leave.”
You can stop by the blessing box at any time to either donate or pick up items. You can also donate monetarily by reaching out to Lewis on Facebook.
