For many families in our area who are working hard but struggling to make ends meet, the prospect of finding the funds to purchase new school supplies for their children each year can be stressful. Often, children who do not have the proper school supplies are too ashamed to admit it and end up falling behind. Students cannot do their best if they do not have the right tools.
Children’s Aid, Inc. provides assistance to Calvert County families in need. We strive to promote the importance of education and literacy, provide children with opportunities for physical activity as well as provide information to families on such topics as cyber safety, coping skills, conflict resolution and handling peer pressure.
One program we operate, Operation Backpack, provides economically disadvantaged children with a backpack filled with new school supplies and a new, age-appropriate book.
Our goal is to highlight the importance of education as well as help the students approach the beginning of the school year with a greater sense of confidence and hope.
This is the fifth year for our Back to School Program and to date we have distributed backpacks and school supplies to166 Calvert County students in need. This year, we are seeking the community’s support so that we can surpass last year’s distribution of 70 filled backpacks.
“Although recently ranked as one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, last school year roughly 23 percent of Calvert’s 15,971 registered school students qualified for the free or reduced lunch program. Although the percentage is lower than our neighboring counties, I think many county residents would be surprised to learn this statistic.” said Krista Brezina, Executive Director of Children’s Aid, Inc.
We hope the community will respond generously to ensure that children whose families are in crisis are able to return to school this fall with the tools they need to succeed in the new school year. The following businesses have partnered with Children’s Aid, Inc. for Operation Backpack 2013 and will accept school supply donations at their locations through August 14, 2013:
American Legion Post 206 (Chesapeake Beach), Anthony’s Bar and Grill (Dunkirk), Cait’s Closet Consignment Store (Solomons), Dunkirk Hardware and Home Center (Dunkirk), Michelango’s Salons (Huntingtown and Lusby), Office Depot (Prince Frederick), Wanda’s Wave (St.Leonard), and Wilson Ennis Clubhouse (Huntingtown).
Accepted donations include backpacks, composition books, pencils, crayons, spiral notebooks, three-ring binders, highlighters and glue sticks. All donations should be new and unopened.
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