All of us here at S&S Worldwide were proud to support and sponsor the Jewish Family Services 3rd Annual Back to School Drive.

Benefitting Greater Hartford Families & JFS Clients in Need

It’s hard to believe August has come to an end, the last month of summer, and the new school year will officially begin soon and has already started for many schools. With that comes the hustle and bustle of getting our children ready for the start of school. As a mother of three daughters ages 11, 9 and 4, I know firsthand how busy and stressful this time can be for families. However, imagine the added pressure of not having the resources to purchase new school supplies for your children. Unfortunately, this is the case for many families in our community.

This past month, I was proud to co-chair the Jewish Family Services (JFS) Third Annual Back to School Drive, which benefitted low-income children throughout Greater Hartford. In partnership with the Mandell JCC’s Family Room and PJ Library of Greater Hartford, the goal of the Back to School Drive is to prepare children with the tools they need to feel organized, self-confident and motivated to succeed in the classroom.

With the incredible generosity of S&S Worldwide, JFS volunteers filled backpacks and gave away hundreds of new school supplies to children and teens in need whose families use our agency services. One of the tasks we have as parents is to serve as role models and teach our children moral values. I can’t think of a better way to teach my daughters about giving back than to have them participate in this meaningful project for children. Every child deserves to feel confident and prepared on their first day of school. JFS and S&S Worldwide are committed to education and to ensuring that children start the school year on a positive note.

The feedback from parents and children has been wonderful:

“I picked up the backpacks with supplies for my girls. We really appreciate the paper, pencils, notebooks, crayons, markers and rulers. Now, they can go to school and not feel different.”

“I love to color and draw. I can’t wait to use my new colored pencils and markers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“As a single mother, I am not in a position to buy them new supplies each year. This is so helpful to my family. You should have seen the kids when they opened the backpacks. For the first time they are excited to go back to school!”

Through the Back to School Drive and the community support programs JFS provides, such as the Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry, Tara’s Closet, and Jewish Employment Transition Services (JETS), we can help to remove barriers to learning, so that struggling families can focus on addressing other challenges in their lives. By participating in community service projects, like the Back to School Drive, you have the opportunity to teach your children the importance of giving back to those in need. This is a lesson that will not only make a difference in the lives of others, but make a lasting impact on yourself.

Thank you S&S Worldwide for embracing possibility!

About Jewish Family Services

Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford is non-profit social service organization which provides counseling, education, and community support to help people of all religions advance along the path toward emotional well-being, self-reliance, more positive relationships, and a renewed sense of possibility. For information on JFS programs/services and volunteer/giving opportunities, visit www.jfshartford.org.

Submitted by: Pia Rosenberg Toro, JFS First Vice President & Campaign Co-Chair