Weekly, BICO Teachers Jennie Grogan and Kelly Messier lead a group of students to New Life Furniture Bank to volunteer, moving furniture and getting loads ready for shipment to families in need of furnishings. (Photo Courtesy Bi-County Collaborative)
WALPOLE — Bi-County Collaborative (BICO) students packed a huge factory cart with second-hand furniture.
They wheeled the load to a massive waiting elevator and worked together to fit it inside. One student carefully closed the heavy gate and the lift slowly crept down to New Life Furniture Bank’s ground-level loading docks.
BICO students often give back to the communities served by its 20 member school districts across Bristol, Norfolk and Worcester counties, through a wide variety of outlets and volunteerism.
A New Life
Teachers Jennie Grogan and Kelly Messier lead a group of students to the restored mill building headquarters of New Life Furniture Bank every Monday afternoon. They leave the classroom around 12:15, giving up their lunch period to volunteer.
“We have five students in our volunteer class and they work incredibly hard at New Life,” Grogan said. “New Life provides furniture for those starting anew and we do everything from pulling furniture orders to wrapping glassware to cleaning rugs. It just depends on what the need is for that particular day.”
“Our students come from so many different and diverse communities, and each of these communities has been incredibly generous to the Bi-County Collaborative over the years,” said Executive Director Jeanne Sullivan. “We appreciate the opportunity to give back to these amazing communities, and we’re incredibly grateful that our students benefit so much from their many hours spent volunteering with these dedicated and driven organizations.”
For Humanity
Last year, a team of BICO students volunteered for Old Colony Habitat for Humanity, helping at a worksite on Ridge Road. Students swept floors and carried construction materials, while learning important skills outside of the classroom.
“We are incredibly grateful to the students from Bi-County for their outstanding support of Old Colony Habitat for Humanity,” said Old Colony Habitat for Humanity CEO Kimberly Thomas. “Their contributions were instrumental in helping us clean, organize, and prepare for our next project. Without their dedication and hard work, we simply would not have been able to move forward as efficiently.”
BICO programs address the needs of students, from ages 3 through 22, with Autism, Communication, Emotional, Health, Intellectual, Neurological, Physical Impairments and Specific Learning Disabilities. The Collaborative’s mission is to prepare their students for the outside world, helping them gain the skills necessary to succeed in adulthood.
“The students demonstrated an admirable level of professionalism, politeness and teamwork throughout their time with us,” Thomas said. “Their positive attitude and willingness to help made a real difference, and we sincerely appreciate each and every one of them.”
Habitat for Humanity aims to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter, constructing houses for future first-time homeowners.
Thomas had a few extra words of gratitude for their teacher, Kelly Messier, who accompanied the group to the work site.
“We also want to extend a special thank you to Kelly, who was wonderful to collaborate with and made the coordination process seamless,” Thomas said. “Thank you again to Bi-County and everyone involved for your continued support of our mission to build homes, communities, and hope.”
Real-World Transition
Brian Grinnan, BICO’s Director of Transition Services, referred to the Collaborative’s commitment to empowering students in both the classroom and the community, enhancing their skills, and supporting their journey toward a successful transition into adulthood and a promising future.
BICO students work with Community Servings, a nonprofit that provides medically tailored meals (MTMs) to clients across Massachusetts who are living with severe critical and chronic illnesses such as HIV, cancer, diabetes and kidney disease.
The students have visited Community Servings’ Mansfield location, working hard to help expedite the meal-packing process.
Students have also spent hours volunteering for local nonprofit Mansfield Shredding, an organization that offers shredding services to residents, businesses and institutions, providing employment opportunities to adults in-need of steady work and experience.
“Our students go there to help with the shredding process, but they also learn skills and experience what it takes to do this sort of work,” Grinnan said.
Student volunteers spend time volunteering at local food banks and hosted a food drive during the 2025 SNAP crisis, when food insecurity hit so many across all the communities BICO serves.
“This isn’t only about community outreach,” Grinnan said. “We asked ourselves, ‘How do we build skills for our students?’ And we realized we can do that while we do community outreach. How do we prepare kids for life? This is just one way we help our students build skills. We’re trying to empower them. We want them to see that they’re part of this community. We’re all working together. It’s an altruistic win-win.”
About the Bi-County Collaborative (BICO)
BICO is a multi-purpose educational collaborative formed under the provisions of Mass. Gen. Laws c. 40, section 4E. It is a public entity, governed by a Board of Directors, with each school committee appointing a representative to the Board. The Operating Committee, which acts in an advisory capacity, consists of each member district’s designated Special Education Administrator. BICO’s mission is to provide high-quality educational programming, making it possible for all students to become responsible and contributing members of society. Bi-County provides specialized educational programs for students ages 3-22.
BICO programs address the needs of students with Autism, Communication, Emotional, Health, Intellectual, Neurological, Physical Impairments, and Specific Learning Disabilities. Bi-County Collaborative consists of 20 member school districts in Bristol, Norfolk, and Worcester counties.
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BICO held a Collaborative-wide food drive during the 2025 SNAP crisis, when food insecurity hit so many across all the communities BICO serves. (Photo Courtesy Bi-County Collaborative)
Bi-County Collaborative students volunteered to help Old Colony Habitat for Humanity ready a site for a new home. (Photo Courtesy Bi-County Collaborative and Old Colony Habitat for Humanity)
Bi-County Collaborative students volunteered to help Old Colony Habitat for Humanity ready a site for a new home. (Photo Courtesy Bi-County Collaborative and Old Colony Habitat for Humanity)
Bi-County Collaborative students volunteered to help Old Colony Habitat for Humanity ready a site for a new home. They cleaned, carried and cleared debris. (Photo Courtesy Bi-County Collaborative and Old Colony Habitat for Humanity)
Bi-County Collaborative students volunteered to help Old Colony Habitat for Humanity ready a site for a new home. (Photo Courtesy Bi-County Collaborative and Old Colony Habitat for Humanity)
Bi-County Collaborative students volunteered to help Old Colony Habitat for Humanity ready a site for a new home. (Photo Courtesy Bi-County Collaborative and Old Colony Habitat for Humanity)
BICO students pack an elevator at New Life Furniture Bank. (Photo Courtesy Bi-County Collaborative)
Weekly, BICO Teachers Jennie Grogan and Kelly Messier lead a group of students to New Life Furniture Bank to volunteer, moving furniture and getting loads ready for shipment to families in need of furnishings. (Photo Courtesy Bi-County Collaborative)