Helping kids get back to school

Chestermere Community Services is once again collecting donations of gift cards and school supplies for the annual backpack program.
“Supporting our students is important because they’re a big part of our community,” said City of Chestermere Community Resource Worker Paulette Tippe.
The program, which was started in 2010, ensures that every student in need has the supplies that they need to go back to school in the fall.
The backpack program sees families in need receive gift cards and/or backpacks and school supplies.
“What we’re really, really hoping for is for people to keep us in mind when they shop for the kids…for the back to school supplies,” said Tippe, “maybe if they can grab an extra backpack or extra supplies or whatever for this program.”
Families interested in participating in the program have to book an appointment with Tippe who meets with them to do an intake interview.
If the student and family qualify they are enrolled in the program and given gift cards that same day. Other supplies will be available for pick up Aug. 21-25.
The deadline to register for the program is Aug. 18.
The programs covers all students from kindergarten to post-secondary.
She said that what they need the most are either monetary donations or donations of gift cards in $25 or $50 values to stores that sell back to school supplies.
In an effort to support local and close to Chestermere, Walmart and Dollarama gift cards are preferred.
The reason that they are focused on gifts cards instead of actual school supplies is that they want to be able to let the families have the back to school shopping experience.
“We’ve been concentrating more on the gift cards to give the students dignity to go and shop for themselves and to have that excitement that they can go and purchase their own thing,” said Tippe.
The program kicked off at the beginning of June but Tippe said they have not received a lot of donations yet.
She hopes that as families start getting ready for school they will remember the program and support it as best they can.
The need has been growing each year. In 2013 the program helped 10 families with a total of 22 students.
Last year 45 families totaling 102 students were helped.
So far this year 31 families with 70 students have registered with the backpack program.
Tippe isn’t sure whether they will pass last years numbers.
“The that things are going now there’s a chance it may exceed,” she said.
The cutoff for donations is Aug. 25. They are being collected at community services located at city hall.
To book an appointment contact Tippe at (403) 207-7081.