New Bedford Kindergartner Sets Big Goal for Cereal Drive

If there’s one thing I’ve learned covering the SouthCoast, it’s this: never underestimate a kid with a big heart and an even bigger goal.

Meet Ja’Marri, a six-year-old kindergartner at Pulaski Elementary School in New Bedford, who’s setting out to do something pretty incredible. While his class is working together to collect 400 boxes of cereal for families in need, Ja’Marri is aiming to hit 100 boxes all by himself, and he's done just that.

Now, he wants to keep going and help push that total all the way to 400.

READ MORE: New Bedford's Pulaski School Is Named for Hero of the American Revolution

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One Box at a Time

Pulaski’s annual cereal drive isn’t just about donations. It’s about making an impact in a way kids can actually see. Once all the boxes are collected, they’re lined up throughout the school like a giant domino track before being donated to local food banks as a fun hands-on experiment.

For these students, it turns giving back into something exciting and memorable.

A Goal Bigger Than Himself

Ja’Marri’s mission is simple: help as many families as possible. No spotlight, no pressure. Just a kid who understands that even the smallest effort can turn into something big.

READ MORE: Massachusetts' Top 10 Most Popular Cereals

With a deadline of April 15, there’s still time for the community to rally behind him and the entire kindergarten class. You can reach out to his grandmother, Chakira Gonsalves, if you'd like to help Ja'Marri hit his personal goal.

At the end of the day, all it takes is one determined kindergartner to remind us what kindness and determination truly looks like.