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Millis/Medway - Local Town Pages

Local Young Leaders Mobilize Community For Positive Change Medway Project 351 Ambassadors Leads Service in Support of Children

This spring, Project 351 Ambassador Claire Mullen (8th-grader), Alumni Palak Yadav (9th grade), and Alumni Lile Simmons (11th grade) – all of Medway -- are demonstrating the positive impact of compassion-in-action. They are one of 331 leaders leading Project 351’s statewide service campaign in support of Cradles to Crayons (C2C), a nonprofit that provides low-income and homeless children with everyday essentials to grow, learn, and thrive.
Project 351 is a non-profit, statewide youth-driven service organization that convenes an eighth-grader from every city and town in Massachusetts for a transformative year of leadership development, enrichment, and impact through unique service opportunities. In April, Ambassadors and Alumni helped C2C meet the critical needs by leading children’s clothing drives at 348 service sites in 226 cities and towns across Massachusetts.
With the guidance of their teacher Ms. Luvisi, Mullen, Yadav, and Simmons led clothing drives at Medway Middle School, Burke Memorial, and McGovern Elementary School in April. They collected twenty-five 13-gallon bags of clothing for Cradles to Crayons over 5 days. 
“I serve in dedication to the future, in hope that someday we will live in a society where everyone has what they need to thrive in a world of peace and love,” shares Claire Mullen, the 2022 Medway Ambassador. 
This was Yadav and Simmons’ second year of leading Spring Service, and all three of them would like to thank all community members and educators for their continued support and contributions. 
Spring Service is a cornerstone of Project 351’s service mission to address the causes and consequences of poverty through the development of compassionate and skilled service leaders. Since 2012, Ambassadors have impacted 123,853 children served by Cradles to Crayons and annually generate the organization’s largest in-kind donation -- 17% of all totals. 
“Spring Service is a testament to the power of the community to meet any challenge and the positive change that can be achieved through compassionate action. With the support of their educators and families, Ambassadors are mobilizing more than 82% of our state’s cities and towns in service to Cradles to Crayons,” said Carolyn Casey, Executive Director and Founder of Project 351, “As they serve, Ambassadors foster the values of kindness and empathy; and strengthen the ethic of service and civic responsibility. And, they demonstrate that when we unite in common cause, anything is possible.” 
Spring Service is a milestone of the Ambassadors’ 12-month Leadership Journey. Other highlights include 9.11 Tribute Service in support of the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund and Hope & Comfort; Fall Service, a campaign to end hunger through the support of hundreds of hometown food pantries; Hope & Gratitude Walk to raise funds for three nonprofits selected by Ambassadors; quarterly regional service events; and Service Leadership Academy, a forum for leadership development, civic engagement, and service impact. Ambassadors are guided by near-peer Alumni mentors and enriched by the leadership lessons of a community of Project 351 Service Heroes including First Lady Lauren Baker, Devin, Jason McCourty, Ming Tsai, and Bill and Denise Richard.
ABOUT PROJECT 351:
Founded in 2011, Project 351 fosters unity and strengthens the ethic of service through the engagement and enrichment of an eighth-grade Ambassador representing every city and town in Massachusetts. Annually, Ambassadors — who exemplify the values of kindness, compassion, humility, and gratitude — are selected to engage in a transformative year of youth-led service. Through Project 351, Ambassadors gain skills for a lifetime of service, strengthen the ethic of civic engagement, and scale service impact to address the causes and consequences of poverty. In 2021, Ambassadors will mark one million neighbors served. Project 351 is funded entirely by the private sector and individuals. Its mission is made possible by the generosity and civic engagement of its Legacy Partner, the Martin Richard Foundation, and a community of private sector and civic leaders including, John Hancock, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Mabel Louise Riley Foundation, Michael T. Carmen and Pamela Lederer, The HYM Investment Group LLC, The Foundation To Be Named Later, Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, and media partner WBZ-TV.