While most of us are enjoying the leisurely pace of warm summer days, Connie Abood is scouring the internet for back to school sales. Connie has led Building Hope’s Backpack and School Supply Challenge since it began five years ago, and the need is only growing. With so many Clevelanders out of work, and the rising cost of school supplies, the backpacks are truly a blessing to many families.
This year Building Hope has requests for 400 backpacks from urban schools, churches, and our own tutoring and refugee programs. With the struggling economy and a decrease in donations, Connie and her team of faithful volunteer “shoppers” are calling upon all of their penny pinching skills to find the required supplies at the best possible prices.
Along with Connie’s team, friends of Building Hope and area churches are also given the opportunity to “adopt” an urban child by purchasing a backpack and everything on that child’s supply list and dropping it off at Building Hope in the City for delivery. Families can easily fill an extra backpack for one of these special kids while they are picking up the supplies for their own children. What takes only a few extra minutes for them can change an urban child’s entire school year.
Another team of Building Hope volunteers, including Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church’s confirmation class, will assemble on Saturday, August 7th to stuff each backpack with supplies, and a $15 gift card for new shoes. According to Connie, the smiles on the kids’ faces are worth every hour of work.
- Amy Mitchell, Director of Volunteers
