Ruleville

Ruleville

As part of Vitamin Angels’ “Thrive to Five” program, Serve First has been able to bring Essentials to a devastatingly poor area of the United States and help feed some of the most innocent victims of the poverty: the children.

Since 2007, Serve First has adopted a group of schoolchildren in rural Mississippi with the goal of helping to nourish students who were not getting the nutrition they needed for proper development. “These are the kids who are at the most vulnerable stage of life, in terms of their physical and mental development. Oftentimes, the school lunch they have on Friday will be the last full mean they’ll have until the following Monday,” said Rich Razgaitis, Board Director for Univera Serve First.

In two year’s time, school officials have reported a drastic drop in student absences. While a total of 1,992 absences were recorded in 2005, that number dropped to just 92 in 2007.

"Univera Serve First was our charter partner for what has evolved into Vitamin Angels' 'Thrive to Five' campaign which focuses on reaching children under 5 years old and pregnant women in our own country and around the world," said Vitamin Angels' President and Founder Howard Schiffer. "Serve First's commitment to help reach children in the Mississippi Delta has now grown into a campaign in over 50 major cities and 22 countries around the world."

Student: "Since I’ve been taking the vitamins, they make me feel more energized. And I haven’t been getting sick like usual, like getting colds and fevers and stuff. Really, I’ve been feeling great and healthy and wonderful."

Student: "It touches me because now it feels like someone really cares about me. And it makes me feel special."

Howard Schiffer, Vitamin Angels President & Founder: "These parents are just like us – they’re trying to do the best for their kids, but they’re having trouble paying their electricity bills, their gas bills, their rent. To get the best nutrition is just a big burden for them. It’s something they want to do, but it’s really not within their means. The teachers sometimes have to chip in money to pay somebody’s electric bill so they can keep their lights on so the kids can do their homework at night."

Teacher Mary Garcia: "They’re really loving them [Essentials]. They have a lot more energy. They’re very active. When I forget about them, they holler and they want their vitamins."

In late 2009 and through 2010, Serve First has broadened its reach in Ruleville beyond school grounds and into the community, thanks to the organizational support of former Ruleville Elementary School principal Bessie Gardner and members of the Bellgrove Baptist Church. This year, roughly 200 boxes of Essentials MINIs will reach the children of Ruleville, Miss.

Christmas 2007

(Click above to view more letters from the children. (PDF))

(Click the images above to enlarge.)

“Thank you very much for your contribution of $7,000 to Ruleville Central Elementary School. Christmas came early to Ruleville and put smiles on the faces of 378 children. …you have truly been a guardian angel for some of our students, and acts such as yours are very much appreciated.” – 2007 principal Bessie L. Gardner