The Pascack Valley Italian National Honor Society (INHS) organized and donated over 600 bunnies to hospitalized children at Hackensack University Medical Center and underprivileged children in Jersey City schools on March 15.
According to PV Italian teacher and INHS advisor, Barbara Borghi, the club launched its “Somebunny Loves You” campaign to celebrate Easter and give back to the community by putting smiles on kids’ faces.
Borghi explained that during a club meeting, the members brainstormed who these bunnies would benefit most. They decided to donate to children currently hospitalized in the Hackensack hospital.
Borghi noted that the hospital has 105 pediatric beds and set a goal for the club to raise that amount of bunnies.
The members decided to collect the bunnies by initiating a fundraiser. By creating flyers, the INHS reached its target amount of bunnies quickly. However, they continued to receive bunny donations.
“Before we had 100 bunnies, and then the bunnies kept coming, and we had 200 bunnies, and…300 bunnies,” Borghi said. “The students [said] we have a problem: we need to find a home for these bunnies.”
Borghi began researching school communities in New Jersey where students were underserved and could benefit from the “Somebunny Loves You” project.
“We [INHS] want [the children] to have something for themselves to make them emotionally feel secure, happy, and loved,” Borghi said.
Borghi ultimately decided on a school that receives assistance from the New Jersey Department of Education. She noted that over 70% of the children in the school get free lunches and qualify for the poverty level.
To cover every student in kindergarten through third grade, they had to raise over 450 bunnies in addition to the 100 bunnies for the pediatric ward at Hackensack. Luckily, the club raised 687 bunnies in one week, enabling the INHS to donate to both the hospital and school on March 15.
The success of their fundraiser was due to the INHS students’ ability to engage their community at large. They received monetary donations from various people such as family members and hospital executives; the club used the money to purchase bunnies.
INHS Secretary and Valley senior, Vin Coglianese said they went to Dollar Tree and bought “shopping carts full [of bunnies].” Coglianese stated that they “…had to get manager approval. That’s how much we just bought. They thought we were crazy.”
As Borghi plans on retiring at the end of this school year, she describes the “Somebunny Loves You” project as a legacy she and her INHS students will leave behind.
In years to come, she hopes this fundraiser will pave a roadmap for future clubs and encourages that with hard work, students can reach success.
“It’s important to communicate that if you have a vision and you work hard and you’re willing to go out and put your face to it, then people will respond,” Borghi said. “…Because of that a lot of kids are happy [now].”
