MEXICO — Two community organizations have teamed up to provide winter clothing and gear for students at elementary schools in Mexico, Rumford and Dixfield.

The effort started before school vacation last month when a small room at Meroby Elementary School in Mexico was filled with items. This month a similar space will open at Dirigo Elementary School in Dixfield.

It’s all thanks to donations from Friends of River Valley and the Western Foothills Kids Association.

John Beliveau, board member of Friends of River Valley, said, “Monies raised and designated for these purposes will be distributed in equal shares to the organizations that represent the children at Dirigo, Meroby and Rumford elementary schools.”

Both schools are in Regional SchoolUnit 10, which also includes Andover, Byron, Hanover and Roxbury.

Miki Skehan, program director at Western Foothills Kids Association, said she saw students on the playground on a cold day without adequate hats, mittens and boots. That led to a $3,000 donation from Friends of River Valley and Skehan shopping for clothing at stores and ordering other items online. So far, more than25 students at Meroby school have taken items they’ve needed, and she believes that number will rise to more than 100.

“One of the little girls in our after-school program was one who really needed boots,” Skehan said. “I bought two really cute pair of boots, pink thinsulate boots and very warm. She was strutting around, doing a fashion show for her friends. She was so excited that she got new boots. Her dad said that when she went home, she didn’t want to take them off.”

Beliveau said Friends of River Valley cut another check for Dirigo students in Regional School Unit 56, which also includes Canton, Carthage and Peru.

“We wanted to expand beyond just Rumford and Mexico, so we reached out to the elementary school principal, Charlie Swan, and he said the PTO would be the best place to do that, and we made a donation to them as well.”

PTO President Patricia Fletcher said she was thankful for the help.

“I just think it’s important to do as much as we can to help offset parents’ costs and worries,” she said.

“We do what we can. This is wonderful. We don’t do a ton of fundraising for our PTO because we feel likewe’re always asking for things. So we have a couple of big ones that we do, and that’s it.”

Fletcher, a longtime employee at the school, said there are plenty of children who have need of winter clothing.

“You’re on recess duty and see the kids with the flimsy gloves,” she said.

“They come in and their hands are red from the cold. But they want to be out there playing just like everybody else.”

Meroby Principal Kim Fuller pointed out the impact that these donations have on children.

“When students are fed and clothed adequately, it makes them available for learning, and able to participate with their peers and not worry about where their meals are coming from, or if they have something warm to wear,” she said. “So it’s a wonderful thing. Our students are very appreciative.”

She added, “The collaboration piece, where we have multiple entities working together, is amazing.

I’m very, very appreciative of that.”

Friends of River Valley “really appreciate being able to give back to a community where a lot of us were born and raised, and a community that did so much for us,” Beliveau said. “We’ve gotten good support from a number of companies and donors. As long as people with goodwill come together, we can make good things happen.

It’s really the folks like Kim, Trish and Miki who get the job done.”

Friends of River Valley board member Raquel Welch-Day said in a written statement that between 75% and 88% of the elementary school students in both school districts are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches. Many come to school without many of the winter basic such as coats, boots, pants, gloves and school supplies.

Many of the teachers and staff have had to use their money to get items for them, she said.

“A child should be able to enjoy and participate in the wonders of winter and school learning,” Welch- Day said. “Without the proper clothing, a child is exposed to illness and is unable to participate in related activities. For too many children, this is an everyday reality.”

The nonprofit Friends of River Valley focuses on providing community-based, tangible solutions to help improve nutrition, wellness and education for children and families of the River Valley.

It has played a role in securing two meal delivery vans for RSU 10, donated $20,000 to the Rumford Public Library to fund children’s literacy and science, technology, engineering and math programs in the community, and has established the Old School Food Pantry and is working to establish a child care center.

For more information Friends of River Valley or to donate to this and other community needs, go to https://friendsofrivervalley.org/get-involved.