Back to School 2015
First day of school 2015 – August 24! Having basic supplies needed to achieve helps keep kids focused on learning at school. Now is the time you can make a difference in a youngster’s future and help at-risk students get the school supplies they need to succeed in the new school year.
If your organization is also seeking donations for back to school, let us know, and we’ll add you to the article.
Chapman Partnership
Homelessness among Florida public school children has increased by 84 percent over the past five years. These children, even those living in emergency housing, will start the school year without basic “back-to-school” supplies. Essential supplies are simple things – a backpack, the right uniform, calculators and notebooks – yet out of reach for Miami-Dade’s homeless children unless you help.
Back to School 2015, a new initiative launched by Chapman Partnership, makes it easy for the community to support and help ensure no child is left without school supplies this year. To support Back to School 2015, log on to: http://chapmanpartnership.org/backtoschool . You can donate for the purchase and distribution of school supplies to homeless children from pre-k to 12th grade.
According to Alberto Carvalho, Superintendent of Miami-Dade Public Schools, homeless children face many challenges, one of the biggest ones involve readiness to learn. “These are often fragile children who need to be loved and taught, so education and support is the key to their success.”
Back to School 2015 is a chance for everyone in the community to get involved. “If you care about a child, get engaged,” urges Carvalho. “Miami, let’s step up. Let’s make it real.”
Donations can be dropped off at the North Center: 1550 North Miami Avenue, Miami, or the South Center: 28205 S.W. 124th Court, Homestead. For information, contact Grace Ugalde-Wolpert at 305-329-3081 or gugalde@chapmanpartnership.org, or visit http://chapmanpartnership.org/backtoschool
Camillus House
Seventy-five students in K through 12th grade and one student who attends Miami Dade College need of school supplies. Requested are pencils, pencil boxes, pens, crayons, markers, glue sticks, scissors, composition books, folders, ruled paper, two-subject notebooks, USB drives, and calculators.
Donations can be dropped off at Camillus House: 1603 N.W. 7th Avenue Miami. For information, contact Bob Lozada at 786-229-3220. www.camillus.org.
Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services
Partnering with “We Ignite the Light,” Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services is seeking back to school donations for its residential youth. Listed are backpacks, dividers, folders highlighters, #2 pencils and pens, college-ruled paper, composition books and rulers.
Donations can be dropped off at Miami Bridge – Miami Center: 2810 N.W. South River Drive, Miami, or New Dawn Ministries: 13020 N.E. 8th Avenue, North Miami. For information, contact Jae Reyes at 786-269-5466 or visit www.weignitethelight.org.
Ayuda
Founded in 1977, this community-based non-profit organization based in Miami Beach has served over 145,000 children, adolescents, adults and elderly. Their youngsters need backpacks, pencil cases, crayons, markers, construction paper, white copy paper and water-based paints. Drop of at Ayuda Miami, 7144 Byron Avenue, Miami Beach. Call 305-864-6885 for information. www.ayuda-miami.org.
Family Resource Center
Every summer Family Resource Center provides backpacks, filled with school supplies, to close to 800 children in foster care in Miami Dade County. Your tax-deductible donation will help abused and neglected children start off the school year with the supplies they need. FRC is seeking backpacks, calculators, colored pencils, composition books, papers, crayons, erasers, glue and glue sticks, graph paper, highlighters, index cards, markers, spiral notebooks, ruled paper, pencil sharpeners, pencils, pens, pocket calculators, rulers, safety compasses, protractors, and two-pocket folders. For information, call 305-960-5521 or visit frcflorida.org/back-to-school-drive-donate.
Overtown Youth Center
We all know how difficult it is to focus when you don’t feel prepared. Overtown Youth Center wants to ensure that its students have what they need to learn. Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. Help Overtown Youth Center continue to inspire, empower and enrich the lives of our future leaders. Needed are USB drives, pencils and sharpeners, spiral notebooks, calculators, dictionaries, erasers, folders, crayons, ruled paper, 3-ring binders, markers and rulers. A $65 donation provides a youngster with 3 sets of uniforms and a backpack. Contact Yance Torres at 305-349-1204, Ext. 228, or yance.torres@overtownyouth.org, for more information. Or visit www.overtownyouth.org.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade
Serving our community’s youth since 1940
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade, which started as a single building for boys, has grown to five clubs now serving thousands of boys and girls year round. In anticipation of the new school year, Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Daqde is seeking donations of backpacks, pencils and pens, pencil cases, markers, notebooks and other essential school supplies. Donations can be dropped off at the Hank Kline Club, 2805 S.W. 32nnd Avenue, Miami. For more information, visit www.bgcmia.org.
His House Children’s Home
His House Children’s Home needs School Uniforms: For elementary school sizes- polos in white or light blue and khaki pants; For middle school sizes- polos in white or black and navy pants; For high school sizes- polos in white or orange and khaki pants; Shoes: Girls Sneakers- Sizes 8, 10, 11, 12, 3, 4; Girls Dress Shoes- 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, and 3; Adult Girls Sneakers- Size 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Adult Girls Dress shoes (flats)- all sizes; Adult Boys Sneakers- All Sizes. Please call Carolina Osorio at 305-430-0085 Ext. 266 or email cosorio@hhch.org to schedule time to drop off. Also let her know if you would like a tour of the facility.
