GREENSBURG — A high school service project has allowed a Greensburg youth to see how much of a difference she can make in someone’s life.
Mount Pleasant Area High School senior Maria Emanuele’s community-based project involved donating diapers to Catholic Charities for new mothers.
"I didn’t think about diapers being such an essential need and was really surprised at how expensive they are," said Maria, a parishioner of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Greensburg.
Given the choice between a career-based or community-based project, Maria decided to take the community route after spending some time working with Catholic Charities to fulfill the service hours required for graduation.
"I was really glad to have been given the choice of projects because I was able to help more people. While helping at Catholic Charities, I asked what the highest need was, and their response was diapers," Maria said.
So Maria began to put her project into action.
She designed and distributed flyers and requested diaper and baby wipe contributions from St. Florian Parish, United, where she serves as a group leader for Vacation Bible School, and her alma mater, Christ the Divine Teacher School, Latrobe. She collected 2,299 individual diapers and 27 packages of baby wipes to contribute to Catholic Charities.
"These diapers are distributed to mothers in need with babies from newborn age to size 6," said Judy Modecki, director of coordinated services and development for Catholic Charities.
"We go through so many of them; it’s amazing. And they are ridiculously expensive for these women to purchase.
"When we accept the proposals of students for projects such as this, it allows the youth to recognize the needs of people in their community," Modecki said. "This is part of the world that we currently live in. There is need, and their service gives them a different vision of the world around them."
Mount Pleasant Area High School service projects are based on a minimum of 25 hours of service, and Maria has contributed 33 hours to her project.
"I have a younger sister, Angela, and a younger brother, Joseph. They have helped me load and unload the diapers and, hopefully, see how they are helping others," Maria said.
Maria is the daughter of Alan and Rebecca Emanuele, who also assisted in the transportation of the items.
"My faith has shown me how it is so easy to help so many," Maria said. "I now realize how some people are in need.
"I am very thankful to those in the diocese who donated to my project so that I can provide for others. With such a demand, I may look into continuing this collection process."