Each July and August Citizens Bank purchases the backpacks and also invites donations of school supplies at its bank branches. HCEF accepts backpacks filled with the requisite supplies from individual contributors and companies. Partnering this year with HCEF are CBL Properties, Diocese of Pittsburgh's Catholic Youth Ministry Co-ed Softball Championship Tournament and Youth & Adult Ministry, Kenny's Club and Paige's Promise, Iota (Pittsburgh) Chapter Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority, rue21, inc, and — as always — many individual donors.
This multi-pronged effort ensures that on that important first day of school all children and youths living in supportive housing for families have a brand new backpack of their choice, one that is filled with the required educational supplies appropriate to their ages. See this KDKA video interview featuring HCEF Executive Director Bill Wolfe and Vice President Pam Wigley of Citizens Bank.
Monday, August 15, was backpack delivery day. Citizens Bank, HCEF staff, and volunteers loaded the bagged backpacks onto two school busses that took those able to travel with us to our partner family residential housing facilities throughout the county.
While giving a fully supplied backpack to a child may seem a modest gesture, for the child receiving it that book bag is a proud possession. With it, the child is just another boy or girl going to school, ready to learn. For a struggling mother there is tremendous relief in knowing her child will have the required school supplies she might not be able easily to provide.
Notes of thanks – like these from two of the family centers – tell the story:
"Thank you for allowing our kids to feel good about the first day of school."
"What joy around here today! These absolutely wonderful school bags arrived. Our children will be over the moon!"
We applaud the following young people who help load the schools buses and who traveled on the buses to deliver the backpacks to excited children and youths:
Sean Darby
Shaquil Harris
Jacquai Jones
Jordan Myers
Adam Paterson
Alex Paterson
and also the many folks who made donations through Citizens Bank offices and directly to HCEF,
HCEF Board Chair Rob DeOrio and board members Tim Moriarity, Andy Paterson, and Phyllis Hartman who came by to give support on Gear for Grades morning,
and HCEF staff members Laura Bailey, Zach Marsh, Bill Wolfe, and Joe Lagana.
See 2011 Gear for Grades photo story.
(8/20/11)
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