Area Support Needed for Back-to-School Program

Jun. 30–For most children, the thought of going back to school is very distant in their minds right now.

There’s still plenty of mornings to sleep in, baseball games to be played and afternoons to be spent at the swimming pools.

But for the organizers of the Pueblo Goodwill’s Operation Back-to-School program, the vision of students returning to class is in the forefront of their thoughts as they prepare for the annual school supply distribution program.

“It will be here before we know it,” said Janelle Quick, program coordinator for Pueblo Goodwill Industries. “We want to make sure every student has the supplies they need to be successful in school.”

This evening, Pueblo Goodwill will host the “Cirque du Schoole Day” social mixer and auction to raise money for its highly successful Operation Back-to-School.

The circus-themed event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at La Renaissance restaurant. Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased at the Pueblo Goodwill store or at the door today.

The event will feature a live auction for items ranging from maid service, to golfing, to jewelry and a package from Comcast cable company.

“We have something for everybody’s budget,” said Quick.

There also will be a few silent auction items available for bidding.

“Last year we raised $7,800 and our goal this year is $10,000,” Quick said. “If we can reach that goal, hopefully we’ll be able to serve all the students who need our help.”

Operation Back-to-School was established in 2000 to assist low-income families with getting school supplies for their children, according to Debi Diaz-Mills, president of Pueblo Goodwill Industries.

“With schools requiring parents to buy more and more school supplies for their children, there are some families who aren’t able to do so,” Diaz-Mills said. “We started this program as a way to help those parents so that students are able to get the supplies they need to be able to learn.”

In order to receive assistance for school supplies, individuals must be referred by a resource agency such as the Department of Social Services, Posada, YWCA, Cooperative Care or Head Start.

Once a referral is given to Goodwill, the individual will be given an appointment to receive the school supplies.

Quick said the appointments are usually 1 to 2 weeks before school starts.

“We get the supply lists from all the schools in District 60 and District 70,” she said. “We then set up a makeshift store and parents can come in and we will fill the list as best we can.”

Diaz-Mills said when the program first started it provided supplies to 99 students. Last year, more than 850 students from Pueblo County benefitted from the program.

An additional 280 students from Otero County also received supplies as the La Junta Goodwill store picked up the program.

“We’ve really grown over the past year and that’s why we are reaching out to the community and asking for their help,” Quick said.

In addition to Thursday’s fundraising event, Goodwill also hosts a school supply drive to collect items to be distributed to needy students.

Distribution boxes will be located in banks, credit unions and businesses throughout the community for individuals to drop off any new school supplies.

The distribution boxes will be available from July 18 to Aug. 5. Distribution sites have not yet been determined. Any business owner willing to offer space for a distribution box can contact 543-4483 and ask for Ellen or Debi.

Quick said between the fundraising event and the drop-off boxes, Goodwill was able to distribute more than $12,000 worth of school supplies locally.

“And we still had to turn away some people,” she said. “So the need is out there. We would like to have it to where we can help everybody that needs it.”

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