Aug 18, 2008 6:34 pm US/Eastern
Donated Backpacks Help Disadvantaged Children
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
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Thousands of local children from low-income families -- even those who are homeless -- will go back to school with a brand new backpack and school supplies, thanks to a campaign organized by Citizens Bank.
KDKA
Thousands of local children from low-income families -- even those who are homeless -- will go back to school with a brand new backpack and school supplies, thanks to a campaign organized by Citizens Bank.
This is the third year for "Gear for Grades" which purchased 3,500 new backpacks, filling them with supplies donated by the public and dropped off a Citizens Bank branches.
"In Allegheny County we deliver backpacks to all of the homeless shelters," explained Mary Weibel of Citizens. "In Allegheny County there's about 2,000 homeless children in Allegheny County and we hope that we're able to supply each of those with a backpack."
The rest will be distributed to needy children through social service agencies, and to children outside of Allegheny County.
Today volunteers from the bank loaded up the backpacks into school buses for delivery to the distribution points. "For all of us it's a real exciting day. It's kind of the result of a lot of hard work over the past many weeks," said Citizens Bank Chairman Ralph Papa.
Even County Chief Executive Dan Onorato got in on the act, authorizing drop-off points for supplies in county-owned buildings. "It's kind of hard not to get excited about a cause that's this good. It's something that helps children, children that are in need and it's helping with their education - they're all positive points," said Onorato.
The organization Homeless Children's Education Fund worked in partnership with Citizens on the project. Organizers there say the backpack giveaway provides a little bit of normalcy for children whose lives may be in upheaval.
"It makes a huge difference in the lives of these children that lack resources, they lack the most basic necessities that a lot of children have," said HCEF's Carlin Christy. "So this helps them start off the school year right with all the materials that they need."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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