Josh Eichmann recently packed more than 70 “Sweet Cases” for Burlington County DCP&P
Josh Eichmann, an eighth-grade student at Burlington Township Middle School, answered a call to service this school year when his music teacher shared a heartbreaking fact about children who enter the foster care system.
When children are removed from their homes, Josh learned from BTMS music teacher Roxanne Ferguson, who has several foster children, child protective services gives them only two trash bags to quickly pack and take with them to group homes. After running a successful online fundraising campaign, Josh and some fellow students from BTMS decorated and assembled 76 “Sweet Cases,” which were then donated to Burlington County Division of Child Protection and Permanency and distributed to children entering foster care.
“It made me really sad to hear that in addition to being taken away from their families and going through hard experiences, like seeing their parents be arrested, all they get are two trash bags,” Josh said. “I wanted to give them something that would make them feel more comfortable.”
Sweet Cases, which are duffle bags that contain a stuffed animal, blanket, coloring book, crayons and a small hygiene kit, is a program created by the national nonprofit Together We Rise. TWR aims to transform the way youth navigate through the foster care system in America, and with his confirmation service project looming, Josh couldn’t think of a better way to give back to his community.
Through TWR, which allows volunteers to choose from several programs, fundraise and deliver donations to agencies from anywhere in the U.S., Josh, after creating and personalizing his own webpage to recruit supporters, was able to rally the Burlington Township community and collect about $2,000.
His mother, Susan, said sharing Josh’s project on social media led to an unexpected amount of support that inundated the family room with donations.
“We’re very proud of him,” said Eichmann, who is also the vice president of the Burlington Township BOE. “His service requirement was only 10 hours, but he took it above and beyond. He was really able to make a significant difference in the lives of children within his own community.”
TWR then sent him duffle bags and supplies that matched the amount raised, and he personalized the bags with the help of his classmates.
Thirty hours and more than 70 bags filled with goodies later, Josh said the project brought him satisfaction, and brought his peers together for a good cause. The donations made it to the children at Burlington County DCP&P just in time for Christmas.
“I feel really good inside when I think about what I did,” he said. “Knowing that I was able to help so many kids is exciting.”
