Buddy Bench at the Crosspointe Elementary School in Boynton Beach, FL

It's heartening to see how one simple piece of outdoor furniture, a "Buddy Bench," is having such a positive impact on alleviating loneliness and bullying in schools across America.

Crosspointe Elementary School in Boynton Beach, FL is the latest school to add a Buddy Bench supplied by The Park and Facilities Catalog.

"The kids love it," said Courtney Roper, Parent Liaison at Crosspointe, which has 721 students in grades K-5.

She said the bench is very effective because the children know this is the place to go if they feel lonely "without having to verbalize it."

The bench was donated to the school by the Boynton Beach Mental Health Committee with the help of  Brighter Tomorrows. That organization was started to help spread the word about the benefits of "Buddy Benches" and has been involved in helping several schools add them to their locations.

"Through a very large donation from a client of mine, we were able to place the bench for this very deserving school," said Dottie Romo, the founder of Brighter Tomorrows. "Thank you so much for helping us to keep our mission moving forward to make brighter futures for our children."

Teachers from various schools report that many students have enthusiastically supported this idea, either by using the bench when they want to make friends or going over and socializing with their fellow students when they see someone on the bench.

On a deeper level, the concept helps to instill a sense of camaraderie, empathy and inclusion in these young students.

The beginning of the "Buddy Bench" movement reportedly started with a young student whose family was about to relocate to Germany from the US. The student was conducting some research on the school and noticed a bench in the yard with writing on it.

He learned about the writing and thought, what a great idea for schools in America. He convinced his teacher and principal to add a bench. A movement began and the rest is history.

The Park and Facility Catalog has supplied hundreds of these benches to schools across the country.

A "Buddy Bench" supplied by The Park and Facilities Catalog was even mentioned on the national "Steve" Harvey Show.

Styles of Buddy Benches

If you conduct an image search for Buddy Benches online, you will see several different styles. Some benches are wooden with the words "Buddy Bench" painted on them.

But one of the best choices for a bench in a schoolyard is a metal bench with a thermoplastic coating. Essentially, these benches are completely immersed in a polyethylene fluidized bed application, which covers every part of the steel. The bench is then oven-cured and the coating becomes hardens into a tough, durable shell.

These coatings are perfect for school environments.

The plastic surface is smooth to the touch. The coating won't splinter, crack or peel.

It's also impervious to the elements. Rain or snow won't penetrate the finish and cause the metal to rust or corrode.

The coating is composed of materials that are resistant to damaging UV rays from the sun. (That combination of water and the sun will eventually deteriorate fibers in a wood bench).

And when it comes to wear and tear by students, these benches are super easy to maintain. They can be cleaned with just soap and water. Even vandals with spray cans will be thwarted by a thermoplastic-coated metal bench. The paint has difficulty adhering to the surface and can easily be removed with paint thinner or an industrial cleaner.

"It's amazing, a very good bench," Courtney said. "The bench will withstand everything. And it's not going anywhere."

Here are The Park and Facilities Catalog we are seeing a surge in Buddy Benches being donated by civic organizations. Many people in the Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, Rotary Clubs, Parent Teacher Associations recognize the benefits of providing these powerful benches to local schools.

Adding this outdoor site furnishing to a schoolyard is a simple process. But the benefits can last for decades, not only when students are in school.

A Buddy Bench can help mold positive memories and lessons in the minds of these youngsters that they can carry with them for a lifetime.