Bernice Billups was trying to explain what she gets out of handing out free school supplies when a young girl came up to her, smiling, and shook her hand to say thanks.
“This handshake and hug, you can’t pay for that,” Billups said.
Billups, executive director of the central region for Boeing space advocacy and global engagement, enjoys visiting the John Will Anderson Boys & Girls Club in Gary every year.
“I’ve been with Boeing 25 years. This is the absolute best part of my job,” she said.
“Liftoff for Learning is an annual school supply drive,” Billup explained, in which Boeing employees donate money, matched by the company, to go to school supplies.
This year, they raised funds for composition books, spiral notebooks, pencils, crayons, markers, glue sticks, folders, backpacks and more for a total of 750 kids in Gary and Chicago. “Every school supply you can think of, we’re supplying it,” Billup said.
Boeing has been doing this for over 40 years. It’s one of the two enterprise-wide drives the company sponsors. “Wherever Boeing has a presence, we are supporting students in that community,” she said.
“This is the best part of my job, being able to see the direct impact of our personal dollars matched by the company,” Billup added.
After the Aug. 11 derecho that devastated Gary and left many residents without power for weeks, “It just warms my heart to be able to do something like this.”
Gary’s Boys & Girls Club is part of the Tolleston Opportunity Campus
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, which includes the Gary YMCA and a Methodist Hospitals clinic. Billup was impressed with the expanded Boys & Girls Club.
“This is a huge shout-out to the city of Gary and all of the generous philanthropy of companies and organizations to make this possible,” she said. “You don’t see this every day.”
“It’s clean, it’s bright,” and it has a Boeing STEM lab, including donated aircraft material to help with learning, Billup said.
“I am truly in a room of VIPs,” she told teens who gathered for the second wave of school supply giveaways.
Sharaya, 13, is one of the recipients. “I’m really grateful. Somebody actually stole my last book bag,” she said.
Lamiah, 13, also expressed her gratitude. “I actually needed school supplies,” she said. Some kids don’t have those supplies, she said.
Lamiah plans to become a hairstylist and nail technician when she finishes growing up. “I’m trying to follow my dreams.”
Sharaya plans to open up a child care center with her mother. First, though, she wants to attend a university with an Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter. AKA is all about empowering black women, she said.
Her experience at the club is helping boost her self-confidence, Sharaya said.
J’Priest, 7, was glad to get his school supplies. His favorite part of the school day is going out for recess, he said.
Sara Velasques, of Schererville, works at the Boeing facility at Gary/Chicago International Airport. She grew up in Gary’s Black Oak neighborhood. Post-derecho, “people are overwhelmed with other stuff. This helps,” she said.
Giving the kids school supplies helps the Boeing employees, too. “They’re always a fun group. The excitement they get is pretty infectious.”
The more people who can show love and support for the kids by donating time, talent or supplies like this, the better, said Mike Jessen, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.