By packing bags with food, clothing and blankets, Jenna’s Blessing Bags aims to help the homeless population get back on their feet, and keep the spirit and message of its founder, Jenna Burleigh, alive.
According to Jenna’s mother, Jaqui Burleigh, the organization was originally started by her daughter, having a passion to help less fortunate people.
“Our role in life is to take care of each other, and this is one way we can do that. Jenna believed everyone should be treated equally and with dignity, no matter their situation,” Burleigh said.
After her daughter’s death in 2017, Burleigh and her family wanted to honor their daughter’s legacy by continuing “Jenna’s Blessing Bags,” which aims to assemble and distribute bags full of essential supplies, “Blessing Bags,” to the homeless population.
A “Blessing Bag” is a bag that contains the necessary items that a homeless person would need to help them survive.
“Each bag always contains a blanket, food and personal hygiene items. We also always include a non-disposable water bottle and two pairs of socks in each bag,” Burleigh said. “In the winter, we added hats, scarves and gloves, and in the summer we included baseball caps, sunglasses and sunscreen.”
According to Women Aid Society Club advisor Michelle Ruch, the high school has gotten involved with the organization.
“Students help by collecting donations through teachers who support the organization, and then we bring those items to be sorted and packed into blessing bags,” Ruch said. “They have often volunteered to organize and assemble the supplies, which are later distributed.”
Because Jenna was a Souderton graduate, many of her former teachers have held drives in their classrooms to collect food to support the organization.
“My students talk to a few select teachers who know the organization. [English teacher Sue] Newlin is one of them. She knows the family well and is always one of the first to agree and encourage her students to bring things in,” Ruch said.
According to Women Aid Society President Lea Kershaw, the club helped out during one of their service days.