Back to School Shop Celebrating 10th Anniversary of Community Involvement with July 28th Event
Local NonProfit Provides School Supplies and Resources for Students
STAMFORD — Ahead of the 2024-2025 academic year, a Stamford charity is planning its latest effort to help students after a decade of work in the community. Back to School Shop Inc. hosts a community event offering a wide range of clothing, school supplies, and other materials for children from low-income families.
This year, the occasion will be held on Sunday, July 28, at Davenport Ridge Elementary School from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
“I want to congratulate the Back-to-School Shop on their 10th Anniversary event. For ten years, they have hosted this important event which enables children to shop for brand new school clothes and supplies,” Mayor Caroline Simmons said in a press release. “The City of Stamford is grateful to the Back to School Shop and their volunteers and donors for organizing this wonderful resource for our community.”
The event will feature local author Valerie Bolling, who will sign and provide copies of her two popular new books “I See Color” and “The Orange Wall.”’ It will also include free ice cream for attendees.
“We are so proud of what we have accomplished these past 10 years, as an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization. At our first event, we served 125 children. This year we are expecting to serve over 400,” Back to School Shop Inc. Co-Founder Meryl Japha said in the organization’s announcement. “Since our inaugural event in 2015, over 2800 children have been outfitted for school by Back to School Shop. We’re also delighted that thanks to generous donors we’ve been able to expand the items we offer to participants over the years.”
Stamford elementary school social workers selected and registered students in kindergarten through fifth grade. In a department store setting, participating children can choose from brand-new items like backpacks, clothes, and school supplies that volunteers bought with funding provided by individuals, foundations, and organizations.
“Even the youngest students are surprisingly aware of family finances and the expense of purchasing back to school clothing,” Roxbury Elementary School social worker Sarah Arnold said. “Thanks to the Back to School Shop they can feel good about returning to school with a new wardrobe that did not present any additional hardship to their parents.”
“Many of our students and families are lower income and the cost of new clothes and school supplies is completely prohibitive,” Hart Magnet Elementary School social worker Nancy Stanton said. “If it wasn’t provided by Back to School Shop, they would not have it at all."
The Back to School Shop will be held in the Davenport Ridge gymnasium, where volunteers serving as “personal shoppers” will assist each child throughout the store department environment in selecting new clothing. Items to choose from for the new school year include hats and gloves, pants, shirts, sneakers, socks, underwear, winter coats, and the new addition this year of a hoodie. Aside from the clothes, students will also get to select a new backpack to fill with school supplies and books, a lunch box, and a water bottle.
“Over 50% of Stamford students are considered economically disadvantaged and many return to school each year without basic clothing and school supplies. We are tremendously grateful for the over 700 volunteers (many who return year after year) and over 600 donors who have joined with us over the past 10 years to ensure these children are able to choose new items they need and want for school,” Back to School Shop Co-Founder Jane Levene said. “We hope that it helps to give the children a sense of confidence and enthusiasm as they start the new school year.”
At the same time, as their children explore the many items available for the new school year, parents and caregivers will have the opportunity to meet in the on-site Japha Family Resource Center with representatives of community organizations who will provide information about important services that may be available to them.
The organizations that will be present are Building One Community, Child Guidance Center, Children’s Learning Centers, Community Action Agency of Western Connecticut, Community Health Centers, Kids in Crisis, and St. Joseph’s Parenting Center. Additionally, the Schoke Jewish Family Service Mobile Food Pantry will be available to offer groceries for families in attendance.
Support for the 2024 Back to School Shop is provided by Diamond Star sponsors Meryl and Ron Japha and the Tony Wintraub Charitable Foundation; Platinum Star sponsor Audrey Gaelen; and Gold Star sponsors Charlesanna and Bill Ecker and the Jaideep and Rachel Khanna Foundation.
For more information, visit backtoschoolshop.org.
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