Help provide school supplies for children in need
Though it may feel as though summer has only just begun for the children and youth of the Ottawa community, in reality the new school year is just around the corner. As the commercials for back to school begin flooding the airways, many parents are already worrying about how they are going to afford school supplies for their children come September.
In order to ease the minds of as many low-income families as possible, the staff of the Caring and Sharing Exchange has been working hard since the launch of their Sharing in Student Success campaign during Ottawa’s Kindness Week in February. They have been both raising funds and collecting school supplies for the 2013-2014 school year.
“It is very difficult to get people thinking about the back to school season so early in the year,” said Cindy Smith, executive director of the Caring and Sharing Exchange. “The problem is, if we don’t start early, there is no way we can hope to help all those who come to us for assistance.”
In fact, despite the generosity of donors last year, the Caring and Sharing Exchange was only able to help 973 of the 1,670 children who were on its list. Another 697 were left without assistance.
“This year, we are really hoping that we can help each and every child who needs it,” said Smith. “We have raised more funds than the same time last year, and come September we hope to see every child fully prepared and ready to learn on their first day of school.”
The Caring and Sharing Exchange utilizes its Co-ordination Service to eliminate the duplication of assistance within over 300 partner agencies. This ensures that one child isn’t helped twice while another is left on the waiting list.
If you are interested in donating to the Caring and Sharing Exchange, visit CaringandSharing.ca or call the office at 613-226-6434 for more information on how you can help. If you would prefer to donate supplies, visit the website for a complete list of the most needed items, as well as a list of library drop-off locations.