Steaming cups of hot cocoa were lined up in a row, the tops of the cups filled with mini-marshmallows. With each $1 handed over to the cocoa sellers, a student picked up a cup and took a sip.
Each cup of cocoa sold by students in Mrs. Rink’s fifth grade class at Coal City Intermediate School added to their goal of making the community a better place.
The concept for Cocoa for a Cause was developed seven years ago by Melody Kinder, now a junior at Coal City High School. Kinder had read a pamphlet about the work being done to help individuals out of poverty. So she went to her teacher with an idea to hold a fundraiser to support the effort and her class decided to sell hot cocoa during the holidays. They raised around $1,600 that first year and the funds were divided three ways including a donation to Help for Hope.
Every holiday season since, Rink and her fifth graders have sold cups of hot cocoa with the proceeds going to support community initiatives, many times that money going to help local residents served by Help for Hope.
This year, Rink’s students raised $450 that was donated to Help for Hope. The fifth graders made the walk across the Intermediate School parking lot on Thursday, Dec. 21 to deliver a check to Help for Hope co-founder Cathy Milne. They also received a tour of the facility.
The funds will go directly to help area residents served by the organization that is based out of an office located on the Intermediate School campus. The help organization provides numerous services to clients including emergency assistance, food pantry and help at the holidays.
According to Milne, Help for Hope is currently serving 50 clients a week and the funds provided by the students will ensure the organization can help those in need.
The students sold the tasty cups of cocoa during the lunch hour recess during the final week of school before the winter break.