The Bundles of Love Club (BOLC) (of which 27 members are Beltsville's St. Joseph's Regional Catholic School students), a program of the Good Knight Child Empowerment Network, received the Baltimore Raven’s Honor Rows award for outstanding community service in Maryland. The club’s founder, Michaela West, received the award from Corae Young, commissioner of the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism. Fifty members of West’s club from 4 different chapters attended the November 25 Ravens’ NFL game and had the opportunity to go on the field and watch the pregame warm up.
The club was honored for its efforts to help the homeless men and women in our community. BOLC was founded in 2015 by Michaela West because “I want the homeless to know that they are not forgotten.” West has also received the 2017 Prudential Spirit of Community Award and Carson Scholar Award for her volunteer work.
BOLC consists of survival supplies. To date, the club has delivered 424 bundles and collected 201,050 items. Older students guide the younger ones to foster leadership skills and mentoring. Kids say it “makes their hearts feel good inside.”
BOLC members go to encampments to deliver the bundles. This has a profound impact on students and parents who are involved. “Giving love is what we do,” says Michaela.