Two Oak Lawn twin brothers are taking extra efforts to help people keep warm this winter.
Jack and Jake Moran have started a campaign called “Warm Hearts, Warm Hands” to collect new and used gloves with fellow students at Richards High School in Oak Lawn.
“We started this program a few weeks ago after we saw a news item about [a Richards] graduate who got frostbite riding his bike to school,” Jack said. “It just kind of clicked that there are so many kids who don’t have or wear gloves. We thought that we could impact a change if we both raised awareness of the need to cover your hands in the cold and then also provided access to gloves.”
Since the program started, freshman students have been engaged in a friendly competition to see which workroom can bring in the most gloves. Richards administrators have started the collection competition among classes where the class that collects the most gloves gets a pizza party in at the end of the month.
The 16-year-old boys have talked about their program to other students through building announcements and classrooms. Many teachers also have joined in and both brought in gloves and encouraged their students to help meet the needs of the local community members.
“We all came together and confronted a problem,” Jake said. “The conversations we are having now aren’t so much about what actions we can take, but about the value of taking action. It is easy to watch the news and only feel like the world is in a terrible place. This project has really shown me that I don’t need to get on a plane and go help refugees to make a difference. I can do it right here. I can do it every day.”
Jack said: “This project is completely run by our fellow students who were really moved by the needs of others. None of us think that this one project is going to eliminate the plight of those in need. It can, however, change the world in another way.”
Aside from their charitable endeavor, the twins also stay active in plenty of sports and after school activities. For example, Jake’s activities are: football, baseball, National Honor Society, Rotary-Interact Club, Leo Club, and Bulldog mentor. Jack’s activities are: football, wrestling, baseball, National Honor Society, co-treasurer of Rotary-Interact Club, Leo Club, and Bulldog mentor for Jack.
The pair also continue to volunteer at their elementary school, St. Germaine School in Oak Lawn.
“I enjoy being able to give back to others because it allows for me to bring happiness to those in my community and have a positive impact on their lives,” Jake said. “I believe it is important to be involved with those around you and to help in any way possible. Often times, we can forget what others are going through and fail to understand their living conditions, but it is important for us to find ways to help one another and shine a light on different issues to get many people involved.”
More than 500 pairs of gloves have been collected in a month’s time with more donations coming in every day, including additional donations of hats and scarves.
First they are distributing gloves to the kids who attend Richards on an as needed basis. They also are going to give some to feeder district schools so that kids who don’t have gloves can be given a pair. From there, they will work with the Incarnation Youth Ministry program in Palos Heights to get the gloves in the hands of the needy in the city of Chicago. Incarnation will participate in an All-Day Service Retreat and these gloves will be included on the care packages made for our homeless brothers and sisters. The left over gloves will be donated to many charitable organizations, including: Pacific Gardens Mission, PADS, Lincoln Park Community Shelter and Catholic Charities.
“The Moran boys really wanted to put a premium on getting these gloves on hands as soon as possible,” Richards Associate Principal Mike Jacobson said.
Kelly White is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.