Clothing Bank Etc. Happenings
The Cornerstone Clothing Bank Etc. held their 4th annual backpack event on August 4th and 5th for students going back to school this fall. We served 175 students from first grade through high school with back packs, school supplies, and back to school clothing. Everything given out was at no cost to them. The goal was to help promote a good education for our young people by providing them with the supplies they needed to get started. We also wanted to promote reading, so there was a reading tutor on hand to talk about reading and how important it is.
The students selected their backpack from our variety of colors and styles. With the supervision of our volunteers, the students filled that backpack with all the school supplies required for their grade. A list of required supplies from the different schools and grades was provided to us. A separate collection of items for fun was also available. After they filled their new backpacks, the students went over to our various clothing and shoe racks filled with back to school clothing. This was our first year to provide back to school clothing during our Backpack and School Supplies Event. We allowed each student to pick out two complete outfits. This was our way to help lessen their parent’s financial burden, especially when they have to provide for several children in their family. The younger students then proceeded to our reading department, where our volunteer reading tutor read to some of the children. She also helped students from all grades to select books appropriate for their reading level to take home. We wanted to encourage reading to all students, and the importance of reading now for their enjoyment as well as benefiting them in the future.
We also raffled off one brand new student desk.
We had a very excited group of young people and their parents thanking us for all that we provided them. Some had said they could not afford to buy all that we provided, and if it weren’t for our generosity, they didn’t know what they were going to do. It is such a pleasure to get such positive feedback from our clients. It makes all that we do at the Cornerstone Clothing Bank Etc. well worth it!
All the Items were donated to Cornerstone Clothing Bank Etc. through the generosity of our community. To name a few donor organizations, Trinity Lutheran Church, Union Church, St Bernard’s church, St John’s Episcopal church, Urban Alliance in East Hartford, St Peters Episcopal in S.W., our own Clothing Bank Etc. volunteers, and individuals that did not leave their names, and the list goes on.