In a few weeks, moms and dads will load up the family SUV, drive miles away to various college campuses to help sons and daughters move into freshman dorms. Despite scholarships, some students lack additional funds to buy those sheets, towels, blankets, and comforters that are the basic necessities of college life. That’s where the non-profit group, the Freshman Fifteen, can help. Launched in 2006 by the mother-daughter team of Mary and Meaghan Buckley, the organization sends deserving students off to college with the goods they will need to furnish their rooms.
Mary Buckley decided to launch the Freshman Fifteen after hearing about a young woman from East Harlem leaving for college with all her belongings in two paper bags. “One of my daughter’s favorite teachers called and asked, `What do I do?’” Mary recalled. “I told her if she took the young woman shopping, I would pay for the items.” Unfortunately, the young woman had a meltdown in the middle of the shopping spree, beginning to doubt whether she deserved a stranger’s generosity or, further, whether she would belong in college. “I began to think about other students in her position,” said Mary. “I called my daughter and said that we could either weep all weekend or we could figure out how to help these kids.” With her daughter on board as a co-founder, the Freshman Fifteen was up and running.
In the first year of operation while waiting for their non-profit status to be approved, the Buckleys knew they would need to fund the group’s efforts themselves. “We saw some bracelets at a craft fair and decided we would make jewelry to sell,” said Mary. Searching on the Internet, they happened upon another mother-daughter team, Bert and Dana Freed, who had launched two companies, The Well Done Experience, to teach beading, and the Chicken and the Egg, to sell their designs. Ironically, the Buckleys discovered that the Freeds lived seven blocks away on Park Avenue. After taking classes with the Freeds, Mary and Meaghan began to create beautiful pieces on their own which they sold during parties in friends’ apartments. The Freeds, whose exquisite jewelry is sold at Takashimaya, donate a percentage of every purchase to the Freshman Fifteen.
Meaghan, a social worker with a clinical practice, had heard stories about kids getting into college but not being able to go because of the cost of setting up their dorm rooms. Because Meaghan had once worked at the Children’s Aid Society, the first twenty-five students the Freshman Fifteen helped were referred from that agency. “Now we’ve built a network of agencies we use, including Posse and Prep for Prep,” she said. In 2007, the Freshman Fifteen helped 58 students, in 2008 and this year, 62 students.
The “fifteen” comes from the fifteen items that are staples on the list, including, besides linens, a desk lamp, storage containers, a shower tote, a bathrobe, and other items. Working with the corporate office at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, the Buckleys were able to negotiate a 20 percent discount. They praised the company for their participation. Besides help creating the order form, the company gives the nonprofit a break on the shipping. “And, of course, we don’t pay tax, so that helps,” said Mary. Additional supplies come from Staples (offering a discount on paper goods), Teva (flip-flops), and ebags.com (backpacks).
Because college students often don’t have their mailing addresses until close to opening day, Mary and Meaghan won’t relax until they know all 62 students have their packages. Meaghan frequently exchanges e-mails with the students not only to check on deliveries, but also to find out what they liked best. “One young woman told us her favorite item was her alarm clock,” Meaghan said. “She had never had one.”
Fund-raising will fill the time until the spring when the Freshman Fifteen contacts the various agencies for student nominations. Mary and Meaghan then pour through the files to select those they will help. Although the two try to remain anonymous (“It’s not about us,” said Mary, “it’s about the students,”) the agencies frequently forward thank you notes from parents and students. “My life got a little easier with your help,” one young woman wrote. Another said, “As you know, college can be very expensive and it is great to know there are people out there who care about helping make my college experience the best it can be.” A mother wrote: “Since my son came into this world, he has had blessing all around by wonderful people. So now, the Freshman Fifteen is part of our family `village.’”
The Buckleys would love to see the Freshman Fifteen expand to other cities. “Now that we have it down to a good formula, you just need to raise the funds,” said Mary. And they have confidence that all this good work will bear fruit. “Meaghan and I are so sure that these kids will give back big time,” she said.
For more information and to donate to The Freshman Fifteen, please go to www.thefreshmanfifteen.org
