As summer is ready to turn to fall, most of us here in Arizona are ready for the cooler weather. The children are heading back to school and the routine of homework, projects and being back with friends. No one is more excited than mom!
Today back to school can be fun, shopping for new clothes, a new back pack, even maybe a new iPhone! (How things have changed!)
I remember growing up dreading going back to school. Most of the kids in my class came back to school with new clothes, school supplies and a new lunch box. What I remember is going back to school in tennis shoes with holes in them. There were seven of us kids in our family. My parents did not have money to buy all of us new shoes at the same time! I had hand-me-down clothes, which was not fun for a boy with four older sisters!
The teacher would give us a list of supplies: two pencils, a box of crayons, wide lined paper and a bottle of glue. My mother was very creative; I got a baby jar with glue made from flour and water. I could have died!
On top of that, I brought my lunch in a brown paper bag, while the other kids had Superman lunch boxes! I cringe every time I see a brown paper bag to this day!
Today, here in Arizona, 25% of all our children live under the poverty level. At Family First in our service area over 50% of our children live under that level! To help out our local kids, at Family First every year we have a “Back to School Supplies Drive.” We are asking for backpacks, paper, pencils, pens and folders so our kids can have the supplies they need for the school year.
Let’s join together and make back to school a fun time for our kids! Thank you!
School supplies can be dropped off at either our Oracle or Winkelman center during the month of August.
God Bless,
/s/ Frank and Clare Grochocki
Family First Pregnancy Care Center