GATHER BACKPACKS & HELP THE KIDS

[Disney Cakers]

On CNN earlier today, my mom watched and learned about a group called "do something" and the two teenage girls were asking everyone to donate back packs with school supplies to the evacuee kids for schooling.

If you want to help, you can probably get school stuff on clearance! My mom and I went to Target earlier this evening and got a bunch of stuff. We ended up making 4 "backpack" sets, one for each of our family members - and filled them with stuff. She's sending them to Houston on Tuesday.

Just go to www.dosomething.org and click on "Katrina" info. They have suggestions as to what to add and where to send it.

 

[Free4Life11]

Awesome idea! Thanks for the link I will definitely get some items from the stores!

 

[stacy347]

Great idea ~ those kids must be feeling so lost right now, I'm sure getting something just for them would feel great!

 

[DisneyCP2002]

What a great idea, thank you for the information.

 

[JennaTX]

This has already been on the news here in Houston. All of the Fire Stations are set up to recieve school supplies. There has already been individuals here in Houston going to Walgreens, etc. asking them to donate backpacks that I heard about on one of the talk radio stations here. All of the Houston area schools, will be and already are opening their doors to these children. My MIL works for Alief School District here, and had 12 new students on Friday from LA.

This is a great way to help the children!

 

[Forevryoung]

Awesome! I want to do it.

 

[janette]

Yes, our schools in TX are going to have a massive amount of new students who have nothing. One of my 13yo DD's teachers said they may get as many as 100. She also gave them a speech about how the new kids wouldn't have clothes from Hollister etc but that she hoped they would make them feel especially welcome.

Please check with your local schools, it is often easier for them to distribute bulk items so I'm thinking of donating some money there so they can use it to buy the items that will be especially needed. Many school supplies are shared in the class room and wouldn't go to an individual but they'll need more of everything.

The optional items like binders / backbacks would also be something that would be good to donate since they probably wouldn't be on the bulk buy lists.

 

[rcyannacci]

I talked to some teachers yesterday; some were already attending school on Friday here in Austin. It's going to be really tough for these student; they won't just be low on school supplies, but won't have the same resources to do homework, etc.

I just pray our legislatures pass some emergency funding for the schools; they are going to need money for lunches, supplies, more desks, etc.

 

[ducklite]

I"m going to go to the clubhouse in my community today and ask them to put up an announcement on our community bb on the cabel channel asking people to bring school supplies to the clubhouse for the next week, then next weekend I'll box it all up and ship it. Maybe the UPS Store where I keep a box will be willing to cut me a break on shipping, or at least pack it all for me for free...

Anne

 

[janette]

If you are mailing school supplies I'd suggest sending them directly to a school within the districts getting the students from the large shelters. Dallas School District & Houston and San Antonio will be the most impacted. Here are the web sites for those districts:

http://www.dallasisd.org/
http://www.houstonisd.org/
http://www.saisd.net/

I know in the case of Dallas ISD these are not rich districts, they'll really need some help.

 

[zurgswife]

My friend DISer Mattsmom's local school district is also getting evacuees and are in need of clothing and school supplies...I'm in the process of collecting backpacks and other school supplies to send down to her for the kids that are entering her school system....

While the Red Cross is saying give cash it seems that lots of people are getting the basic stuff they need to live right now. Private donations are seeming to do good immediately. So, if you have a connection I say you donate as an individual right now...then hopefully the government will have there stuff together to help these people in the long run.

 

[ducklite]

I just got back from Target, while I was there I bought some sets of school supplies and backpacks. The great thing is that almost everything is on clearance, so I was able to double what I was originally going to buy!

So if you are heading to Target, for under $25 you can buy and load up a back pack for a child.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Giving this one a bump!

 

[PatsGirl]

Took your advice and set up a "We've Got Your Back" type program here on Cape Cod to assist those students arriving at Otis Air Force Base tomorrow. I've emailed friends/family today and have already received 40 "promised" backpacks filled with supplies. Tomorrow, we will hang posters at the schools and my work and after today's donations I know this will be a huge success.

I'm also accepting new packaged undies for the kids and books/puzzles/stuffies for the babies as well (especially for those that cannot afford to fill a backpack and for those that want to do something extra but small. Every little bit helps!

Thanks for this great idea. Reports are that of the 2500 evacuees arriving tomorrow, as many as 1500 are students so that's alot of backpacks

Brenda

 

[DazedandConfused]

Took your advice and set up a "We've Got Your Back" type program here on Cape Cod to assist those students arriving at Otis Air Force Base tomorrow. I've emailed friends/family today and have already received 40 "promised" backpacks filled with supplies. Tomorrow, we will hang posters at the schools and my work and after today's donations I know this will be a huge success.

I'm also accepting new packaged undies for the kids and books/puzzles/stuffies for the babies as well (especially for those that cannot afford to fill a backpack and for those that want to do something extra but small. Every little bit helps!

Thanks for this great idea. Reports are that of the 2500 evacuees arriving tomorrow, as many as 1500 are students so that's alot of backpacks

Brenda

Brenda, I just sent you a PM! I am so excited that you started this. I will fill at least 2 backpacks, maybe more if I can get a deal!
I also have many new items that I was going to sell on ebay to help pay for our trip but I would love to donate it instead! Please email me so I can get the details of how to go about donating. I already donated money but I think that helping in this way may help me and my family in our sadness over this horrible tragedy. Chris.

 

[Disney Cakers]

Thanks everyone for all the replies and help! I know of all the things I've done myself, I still felt helpless... but since I've been putting out the posts and sending it to my family and friends, I feel a little better It feels really good to know that we are all helping these victims. Again Thanks to All!!

Brandy

 

[PatsGirl]

Chris, glad to have your help. Just pm'd you. Brenda

 

[agnes!]

I am working with a group called The Heart of America Foundation, whose mission is literacy advocacy. They have something for here in the DC area called "Operation BuddyPack", their website is www.heartofamerica.org . Their goal over the next few weeks is to ship at least 25,000 backpacks & school supplies (plus toiletry items and small toys) to affected school districts like in Houston or Baton Rouge. They just returned today from Houston where they distributed 5,000 backpacks and 7,000 books. Their next shipment(on Monday) is going to Baton Rouge and Lafayette, Louisiana - they hope to have 5,000 backpacks to distribute there as well and they will continue to ship backpacks wherever they are needed.

agnes!
PS - I called around to some area schools last week, to give them my name & number, in case they received any evacuees and the students had some school expenses.
Today I was able to make it possible for an evacuee student to go on a field trip and to rent a violin so he could start school-based orchestra.

 

[mickeysaver]

The same radio station, here in Atlanta that supports the charity in my signature, also ran another one for the Katrina Kids in our area. They called it The Student Support Project and they not only collected over 12,000 backpacks and school supplies for the over 7,000 area Katrina Kids, but they collected over $119,000 in gift cards for local stores, so that the families could buy the kids the clothes that they need, so that they are not stuck going to school in the same outfits every two or three days. They had a great response from the local community. I think it's wonderful that they pulled this off in less than a week. Way to go Bert Show! Maggie

 

[CEDmom]

Someone posted info about this yesterday. My DD and I went out yesterday and got a backpack and a bunch of stuff. It made her feel good to do something to help another child. I'll be getting it out in the mail tomorrow.

Thanks for starting another thread about it. I think a lot of us have made monetary contributions but something like this is so much more personal and meaningful.

My DD wrote a note and drew a picture to put in the backpack.