Backpack program provides for 700
Groups join to give students good start
By MICHAEL GANNON
Norwich Bulletin
Posted Aug 11, 2009 @ 11:29 PM
Norwich, Conn. —
More than 700 children will start the school year with new backpacks and supplies, courtesy of Norwich’s Human Services Department and an army of volunteers.
Nearly 30 people gathered at the Rose City Senior Center Tuesday morning to fill backpacks with pens and pencils, notebooks, rulers, erasers, crayons and markers as part of the Back Pack It To School program.
“We expect to give out more than 700 backpacks,” said Janice Thompson of Norwich Human Services. “We have some donations. We buy things like backpacks in October and November when they go on sale and for the rest keep an eye on back-to-school sales.”
About two dozen social service agencies and schools put in requests this year, sending
individual tags with a child’s age and gender. Thompson said they have had not had to turn anyone down so far.
“We take a tag and find the right backpack,” volunteer Reyni Sexius of Norwich said. “Then we go to one of the tables and fill it with supplies.”
“I was inspired to come down to help people,” said Lisa Wheeler of Norwich.
The requesting organizations picked up the filled backpacks Tuesday afternoon. Sylvia Laudette of Catholic Charities came early to help the 28 volunteers with the packing. She said their assistance is not limited to Catholic schools, or to Norwich.
“We’re receiving about 25 [backpacks],” Laudette said. “We work with Human Services when we have Norwich residents. But we’ll also help people from Lisbon, Jewett City and Montville, which they can’t.”
The backpacks ranged from solid colors to those depicting such characters as Barbie and “Hello Kitty.”
Lisa a of Madonna House also was assisting the volunteers. She said the amount and variety of items will go a long way.
“We work with a lot of people in financial need,” she said. “This is amazing.”
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Angels for Oroko Children, Inc
ReplyDelete3000 Mistymorn Trace
Powder Springs, Ga. 30127
Cell: 678-471-5019
Email:mmabian@yahoo.com
Website: www.angelsfororokochildren.org
Website: www.orokousa.org
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Mercy Mabian, the president of Angels for Oroko Children, Inc in United States of America. Oroko Cultural Association is a not-for-profit/tax exempt organization as defined by IRS Code 501(c) (3). Oroko is a tribe located in Ndian and part of Meme Divisions of Southwest Cameroon Region in West Africa. With the assistance of sponsors, we provide assist to Oroko children living in the villages, through “Sponsor an Oroko Child Project”. This project caters for the interests, growth, and development of all Oroko children living in the villages, attending Primary and Secondary Schools. It provides financial assistance to Oroko children motivating them to reach their full potential. Please see our website www.angelsfororokochildren.org for more details.
However, these students (from 6yrs to 17years) leave schools each day deprived of critical tool for their success: BACKPACK. Due to the extreme hunger and poverty in these areas, parents can not afford backpack for their children. As a result, children are forced to travel the long distances to and from school struggling with their school supplies in their hands.
We receive our funding from generous and sympathetic people like you and also from companies like yours. Will you help us meet our goal of placing a backpack in each student’s hand? These students need 10,000 backpacks for 110 schools in the area.
Please send your donation to the address below with the check payable to Angels for Oroko Children, Inc. and the purpose for (always written on the bottom left of your check) should be “Backpack for Oroko Students.”
On the other hand, please collect all your backpacks you can and send them to the address above. The value of the backpack and postal cost will be sent to you for tax purpose. We will recognize your gift with labels on each backpack that will tell all our students that it was you who invested in their academic success. In addition, your name or your company’s name and logo will be added to our website as our sponsor. Your gift of backpack will have significant impact on their abilities to maintain their studies and successfully graduate.
Thank you for partnering with our students
Best wishes
Mercy Mabian
President
Angels for Oroko Children, Inc
giving to charity
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