The happiness of a backpack full of school supplies, a new outfit and new shoes for the first day of school may be hard to experience for children whose parents struggle to make ends meet.
That is why HomeFront hopes to distribute about 1,500 backpacks filled with school supplies and new outfits next month. The nonprofit group, which is headquartered in Lawrence Township, helps families who are experiencing poverty or homelessness.
HomeFront clients’ children often lack the basic resources to succeed in school, which can limit their future opportunities, HomeFront officials said.
But donating a backpack filled with school supplies and providing the children with a new outfit for the first day of school can help to level the playing field for them and give them a chance to succeed academically, officials said.
“Being able to start the school year off right really means a lot to our kiddos and our parents, too,” said Chris Marchetti, director of HomeFront’s Joy, Hopes and Dreams program.
“When children are able to go in on the first day of school with new clothes, new shoes and a new bookbag, it certainly is a confidence booster. The kids get excited about going back to school, learning and doing their best.”
HomeFront needs donors to fill backpacks with school supplies and new clothing for the children, officials said. Individuals, businesses and corporations are invited to become donors.
Interested donors may fill backpacks with school supplies or sponsor one or more children and provide them with new clothing. It is easy to sponsor a child by signing up at HomeFront’s website at homefrontnj.org, by telephone at 609-989-9417, ext. 150 or by email to getinvolved@homefrontnj.org.
Donors who choose to sponsor a child with new clothing will be provided with the child’s age, sex, clothing size and shoe size, plus the school supplies that are needed.
The shopping list for clothing may include a new shirt and pants or a skirt, new underwear, socks, and shoes or sneakers. Donors are asked to provide two outfits, if possible – especially when it comes to school uniforms, officials said.
Donors may wish to provide gift cards for clothing and shoes at stores such as Old Navy, the Children’s Place, Target or Walmart. Gift cards should be handed directly to HomeFront staff to avoid getting misplaced.
A donor may choose to fill a backpack with school supplies – from the backpack itself to notebooks, a three-ring binder with paper, folders, pens, colored pencils, erasers, rulers, glue sticks, tape, crayons and safety scissors, officials said.
For older children in middle school or high school, donors also may provide a scientific calculator, a geometry set, a stapler, a composition notebook and subject dividers.
Optional items may include tissues, travel-sized hand sanitizer, travel-sized hand lotion, ear bud or headphones, flash drives and portable chargers with USB-C cable.
After-schools snacks, such as granola bars, fruit cups or applesauce, eight-ounce water bottles, and bags of pretzels, Goldfish crackers or healthy chips also are optional but much appreciated, officials said.
HomeFront is requesting all items to be delivered to its headquarters at 1880 Princeton Ave. by Aug. 18 so they may be distributed before the first day of school. Donations can be dropped off weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and noon.
A financial contribution to HomeFront’s back-to-school drive is another way to make school a positive experience for a child, officials said. There is a special fund that allows children to participate more fully in the school experience.
The fund covers the many small expenses that occur throughout the school year and that are out of reach for many HomeFront parents – the costs of school trips, class pictures, special need tutors, SAT fees and manuals, and clothing for hard-to-fit children, HomeFront officials said.
