Wendy Graham, program coordinator, with one of the Buddy Benches donated by The Yuba-Sutter Stand for the Silent organization

One group in the Yuba CA area has made it their mission to provide Buddy Benches for schools in the area to promote inclusivity and fight bullying.

And with the support of local businesses and individuals, they are succeeding.

The group is called the Yuba-Sutter Stand for the Silent. This is a chapter of the national Stand for the Silent organization that was started by a group of high school students in Oklahoma City, OK.

The Yuba-Sutter Stand for the Silent program offers education on bullying, resources, and support.

The

Buddy Bench at St. Mary's Catholic School, donated by the Ganje family in honor of their parents

It is estimated that more than half of elementary schools in the US now feature Buddy Benches in their playgrounds.

The Park and Facilities Catalog, a major supplier of Buddy Benches nationwide, continues to see a steady number of orders for this popular product.

And many of the orders we see come in the form of donations either by individuals or organizations who recognize the power of this simple concept.

Take St. Mary's Catholic School in Alexandria, Minn.

The school recently added a Buddy Bench that was donated by the Ganje family, in honor

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 

Buddy bench donated by Ariana. Sitting alongside her on the bench is her school principal

Adding a Buddy Bench to a school might be a goal for children and parents to consider if they are looking for a project that will have a positive impact with young students.

That's exactly what 9-year-old Ariana from California accomplished recently as a member of the Girl Scouts.

She sold a bunch of Girl Scout cookies and raised enough to purchase a Buddy Bench from The Park and Facilities Catalog.

Ariana then donated the bench to her school.

Buddy Bench encourages inclusion among students

If you are not familiar with the concept behind this magic bench, here's how it works.

The school adds this unique bench to their play or break area. The bench, like the one supplied by The

A Buddy Bench from The Park and Facilities Catalog was recently featured on the national "Steve" show on NBC. Host Steve Harvey discussed the concept behind the bench and how it helps children socialize in a schoolyard

A Buddy Bench donated to a school by The Park and Facilities Catalog was recently featured on the nationally televised "Steve" show starring popular comedian Steve Harvey.

The show centered on a young man named Alex, who was recently the subject of an article on our website.

Producers at the "Steve" show