CFA Provides Over 300 Children with New School Supplies
Going back to school will undoubtedly be unusual after more than a year of distanced learning and isolation. A school campus is often seen as a safe haven for foster children and a place of structure and consistency. For their sake, we are glad they have the opportunity to return to the classroom and provide a small sense of normalcy. The Children’s Foundation of America (CFA) partnered with local agencies to provide backpacks and school supplies required for the success of 310 children identified as in-need.
We kicked off the campaign by inviting donors to participate in dropping off new supplies to our warehouse or collection locations in the Claremont Village. Alternatively, donors could purchase needed items off our Amazon Wish List and ship directly to our warehouse, or donate funds to purchase additional supplies. We received hundreds of sets of supplies as well as hundreds of dollars to the campaign. Additionally, volunteers brought supplies to contribute to the cause. We received enough supplies that we were able to support four organizations: Trinity Youth Services, Pathways Family Services, Citrus Elementary, and Shoes That Fit.
Volunteer Coordinator, Briana Calderon, led volunteers in a two-day school care package distribution and also partnered with various local Target locations to provide additional supplies to reach our goal of supporting 300 children. Fifteen volunteers turned out to support and “they were very eager to help,” Briana said.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Back-to-School Drive for children in need. The success of this campaign would not be possible without our amazing donors and volunteers. To learn how you can get involved with our volunteer program, contact Briana Calderon at bcalderon@trinityys.org or at (909) 426-0773 ext. 236.
Isabel Millward-Pena, Communications Specialist
Isabel contributes content for our social media, blog, newsletters and promotional materials. She recently earned a bachelor’s degree in English from California State University San Bernardino and is currently working on her master’s degree. Isabel began working with our team as an intern and, luckily for us, never left. Prior to her work at CFA, she was a substitute instructional aid and a supervisor at Starbucks. She has also volunteered as an aid at local elementary schools and notably achieved “Partner of the Quarter” at Starbucks in 2017.
Support Foster Youth Going Back-to-School!
The Children’s Foundation of America’s (CFA) annual Back-to-School drive for foster youth is back! With the 2021-2022 school year around the corner and schools going back to in-person learning, CFA is determined to provide foster youth all the tools they need to succeed this year. CFA understands the disadvantage that foster youth are faced with and believe the lack of new school supplies should not be something they have to worry about when it comes to starting the new school year.
Foster youth are faced with inherent barriers to academic success such as parental neglect, emotional, physical and/or psychological issues, and/or inadequate adult support. Because of these barriers, foster youth fall victim to lower test scores, lack of motivation, and further mental health issues. Lack of school preparedness adds to the negative outcomes that these youth face.
According to the American Bar Association, “when a child is in the foster care or juvenile justice systems, the child often experiences instability in both the living and school environments. School has the potential to be a steadying force for good, providing stability and supports to promote learning.” Creating a stable learning environment for these youth starts with providing them the proper supplies so they have the foundation to reach academic success.
Consider joining our Back-to-School campaign to help prepare foster youth and provide them with a stable learning environment!
How You Can Help
CFA is collecting the following new and unused donations:
- Backpacks
- College/Wide ruled Paper
- Composition books
- Spiral Notebooks
- #2 Pencils
- Pencil Sharpeners
- Rulers
- Mechanical Pencils
- Erasers
- Highlighters
- Pens
- 3-Ring Binders
- Binder Dividers
Back-to-School donations can be dropped off at our warehouse Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at at our warehouse located at 1326 W. 9th St. Upland, CA 91786.
Purchase Items from Our Amazon Wish List
As an alternative, you can also purchase items of our Amazon Wish List here and ship directly to our warehouse for distribution.
Volunteer
If you’re interested in volunteering to compile back to school care packages, please contact bcalderon@trinityys.org or 909.426.0773 ext. 236.
Isabel Millward-Pena, Communications Specialist
Isabel contributes content for our social media, blog, newsletters and promotional materials. She recently earned a bachelor’s degree in English from California State University San Bernardino and is currently working on her master’s degree. Isabel began working with our team as an intern and, luckily for us, never left. Prior to her work at CFA, she was a substitute instructional aid and a supervisor at Starbucks. She has also volunteered as an aid at local elementary schools and notably achieved “Partner of the Quarter” at Starbucks in 2017.
Annual School Supply Drive for Foster Youth!
The Children’s Foundation of America was established to Be the Difference in the lives of children who have been victims of abuse, trauma and abandonment. The needs of these children are greater than public funding are able to provide. Our goal is to supply 150 local foster youth with complete Back-to-School Kits. Any donation is greatly appreciated to help them learn and thrive in school. Filled backpacks or individual items accepted. New and unused supplies only, please.
School Supplies Needed
Grades K-3
- Backpacks
- Wide-ruled notebook or paper
- Washable markers
- Glue sticks
- Folders
- 2 pencils
- Pencil sharpener
- Erasers
- Ruler
Grades 4-5
- Backpacks
- Pens
- 2 pencils
- Pencil sharpener
- Erasers
- Highlighters
- Markers
- 3-ring binder
- Subject dividers
- Index cards
- College-ruled notebook or paper
- Folders
Middle School – High School
- Backpacks
- Pens
- 2 pencils
- Pencil sharpener
- Erasers
- Highlighters
- Markers
- White out
- 3-ring binder
- Subject dividers
- Folders
- Index cards
- Post-It notes
- College-ruled notebook or paper
- Graphing paper
Please drop off donations at the CFA office by July 12, 2019:
175 N. Indian Hill Blvd. Ste. B-200
Claremont, CA 91711
(Second floor above Jamba Juice)
For questions, call our office 909.426.0773 or email donations@trinityys.org.
CFA Provides 261 Backpacks and School Supplies to Youth in Need
Every year when students kick off their summer vacation, the Children’s Foundation of America invites the community to join together for our annual Back-to-School Drive for children in foster care. CFA supports over 100 youth at Trinity Youth Services in foster care, adoption and residential therapeutic programs, as well as disadvantaged children at various other organizations.
Our goal is to provide these children with backpacks full of school supplies to help them learn and thrive in the upcoming school year. Having a brand new backpack and adequate supplies not only helps them succeed in school, but helps give confidence to do well in their studies and build relationships at school.
In June, volunteers start working away creating Cards for Kids. This year, the Lion’s Heart Service group, Diamond Bar High School National Honor Society and other volunteers made almost 200 encouraging cards for the back-to-school kits.
One volunteer noted that she most enjoyed the freedom for her and her daughters to be creative and write beautiful notes in the cards for youth.
With the support of individuals in the community and our partners including Wells Fargo and Purpose Church Claremont, we received about $4,025 worth of new backpacks and school supplies! Purpose Church Claremont alone donated 108 backpacks filled with school supplies!
“I am blown away by the support,” said Sarah Crandall of Purpose Church Claremont. Sarah is currently working with her church to arrange more opportunities to support foster youth. “We are blessed to be apart of what you guys are doing! It was so fun to watch my church get excited about this opportunity.”
Throughout July, 22 volunteers assisted with taking inventory of donations and stuffing 261 backpacks with supplies. Volunteers said they enjoyed being involved in the process and seeing what is done “behind the scenes” to help the kids. In all, volunteers contributed over 113 hours to make sure disadvantaged youth received what they needed to be successful in the school year.
Not only were we able to provide 196 children at Trinity Youth Services with backpacks filled with supplies, but we were also able to extend our reach to youth at New Dawn Group Home in Walnut and Chino, McKinley Children’s Center and Ontario-Montclair School District. The total of youth supplied with filled backpacks came out to 261 and dozens more with miscellaneous school supplies!
Thank you to everyone who chose to Be the Difference to children in need this summer. If you would like to help us in our next campaign to support displaced youth, get involved! We would love to have you work alongside us as we fulfill our mission.
Marie Maghuyop, AmeriCorps VIP Fellow
Marie is serving with the Children’s Foundation of America as an AmeriCorps VIP (Volunteer Infrastructure Project) Fellow. Her main goal as a VIP Fellow is to expand the volunteer programs at the Foundation and develop an effective, sustainable volunteer infrastructure. She creates content for social media, engages with volunteers and supports the Foundation team with coordinating events and volunteer opportunities. Marie has earned two associate’s degrees from San Bernardino Valley College and a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from California State University, Fullerton. She has always been driven to do meaningful work by helping others and is excited to inspire volunteerism in the community. In her free time, she enjoys going to Disneyland, writing, playing ukulele and board games, and dancing.
Back-to-School Supply Drive a Major Success
The Hillman Group celebrates the completion of stuffing over 100 back packs with school supplies to be donated to local children in foster care.
Back to school for many children can mean a time of excitement and anticipation. What is often forgotten is that displaced children often feel anxiety and uncertainty when it comes to preparing for this important time. In fact, many children transitioning into foster homes usually need everything from a back packs to basic school supplies as they often have no possessions to call their own. Understanding this need, the team at Children’s Foundation of America launched the annual Back-to-School Supply Drive in June with the goal in mind to supply 150 back packs filled with school supplies to school aged children in need living throughout Southern California.
The Overwhelming Support
What we couldn’t have predicted was the overwhelming amount of support and generosity from our volunteers, business partners, and community members to reach our goal. Over the course of two months, we received over 200 back packs, hundreds of school supplies valued at $1700, and over 10 volunteers from The Hillman Group dedicating a combined 20 hours to assembling back to school care packages!
Children’s Foundation of America partnered with the Claremont Village Marketing Group to provide school supplies for the Shoes That Fit drive.
Enough Supplies to Spread the Love
Receiving a surplus of school supplies allowed us to extend our assistance not only children in foster care supported by Trinity Youth Services, but also a number of displaced or disadvantaged children supported by Foothill Family Shelter, David and Margaret Youth and Family Services, and Shoes That Fit.
Volunteer Coordinator, Sasha Chavez, drops off backpacks for children at Foothill Family Shelter.
We’d like to thank all of our local partners for making the Back-to-School Supply Drive a major success:
Claremont United Church of Christ
Christina Jackson, Board Member
Laura Chaidez, Board Member
Sasha Chavez, Volunteer Coordinator
Ananda Kohler, Donor
Praveena Jeereddi, Donor
Kathy Warth, Donor
Rebecca Ustrell, Community Outreach Coordinator
Becky acts as liaison for Children’s Foundation of America. On any given day she could be meeting with potential donors, coordinating a fundraising event, recruiting volunteers and forming partnerships with other nonprofits that can benefit from the help of our Foundation. Becky is currently studying sociology as well as fine art and helps organize the Claremont Art Walk. You will most likely find Becky working on freelance illustrations, playing the cello, mingling at a chamber of commerce event or volunteering in the community.
800-543-7730 | rustrell@trinityys.org