The Children’s Fund of San Mateo County needs help providing approximately 1,000 children with new backpacks and school supplies in time for the new school year. “Low-income and foster children need our help to ensure they start the school year prepared and ready to learn,” stated Children’s Fund Coordinator Rebecca Asch. “Every child should have the opportunity to succeed in the classroom and not be held back by circumstances over which they have no control.”
All youth entering grades K-12 and being served by a County program are eligible for a new backpack and school supplies, such as pens, highlighters, crayons, markers, glue, notebooks, folders, calculators, rulers, and scissors.
The Children’s Fund depends on generous contributions to provide every one of the 1,000 filled backpacks to children, and has made donating easy with an online wish list, at www.roonga.com/childrensfund. The Children’s Fund also welcomes individuals, groups or community organizations to host a School Supply Drive, and can provide the collection materials. Several corporate donors are also participating, including Genentech, Gilead Sciences, and Comerica Bank. All donations will go directly to children in need, and need to be delivered by August 1, 2014 in order to be packaged and distributed in time for the first day of school.
The Backpack and School Supply Program helps children like William, who remarked, “I finally have everything the other kids have!” when he arrived on the first day of school. A social worker who distributed items to foster children told us that the backpacks and supplies “made a big impact on their lives and were a huge motivation for them to start school.”
The County of San Mateo Human Services Agency assists individuals and families to achieve economic self-sufficiency, promotes community and family strength, and works to ensure child safety and well-being. The Children's Fund was founded in 1973 by social workers to provide goods and services not otherwise available by public funds, to low-income and foster youth. The Children's Fund now serves 4,800 children and teens in San Mateo County every year. Our seasonal and year-round programs and services include providing refurbished computers, baby clothes, backpack and school supplies, Halloween costumes, holiday gifts, prom dresses, warm coats, and orthodontic treatment sponsorships to eligible youth. To learn more, please visit our website at: www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/childrensfund or contact us at childrensfund@smchsa.org.