School Supply Donations needed for Monrovia's Foothill Unity Center Back-to-School Program

"When a cute little nine year old girl comes up to you, smiling from ear to ear, and tells you, 'This is the best day of my whole life – EVER', and she can hardly wait until school starts – you know that you have made a difference in that child's life!" So says Betty McWilliams, Executive Director of Foothill Unity Center, Inc.

 

The Center will be preparing 2,000 children at its 14th Annual Back-to-School event at Santa Anita Park on Thursday, August 16. The families that come to Foothill Unity Center for food assistance do not have the funds to furnish their children with the items they need to return to school. Consequently, pre-registered K-12 grade students from qualified low-income families in Altadena, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bradbury, Duarte, Irwindale, Monrovia, Pasadena, Sierra Madre and South Pasadena will be attending this event and receiving backpacks, school supplies, clothes/uniforms, socks, underwear, haircuts, as well as eye and dental exams.

 

Event Chair Kathy Valentine has determined that "it takes us about $50 to prepare a child for school, which is minimal because of our loyal supporters."  Monetary donations, however, are still needed as the number of children continues to climb.

 

The entire community shares in this annual effort, with more than 400 volunteers from businesses,  schools and community groups, that all have our heartfelt thanks for their participation. We want to give special thanks to our major contributors as well, including; CapitalSource Bank, Pasadena Independent Schools Foundation, Marshalls/TJX Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Tzu Chi Foundation, Vons Foundation, Wells Fargo and Xerox Corporation.  In addition, we are extremely grateful to our community partners who make this event possible, including: Santa Anita Park for use of its facilities; Citrus College Cosmetology Department for helping with haircuts and manicures; USC School of Dentistry for providing dental check-ups; Western University School of Optometry for furnishing vision screenings; Paint N'Play for art activities; Monrovia Reads for new books; and many, many more.

 

Checks may be mailed to: Foothill Unity Center, 415 West Chestnut Avenue, Monrovia, California 91016. For further information on Back-to-School Distribution needs and volunteer opportunities, call the Foothill Unity Center in Monrovia at (616)358-3486, in Pasadena at (626)584-7420, or view our website at www.foothillunitycenter.org.

 

Source: Unity Center press release

 

- Brad Haugaard