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Back to School for Mom? Back to Fun for Me! |
I hope that you are all enjoying summer. It seems to fly by much too quickly. We reach this time of year taking a deep breath as we begin to prepare for the seasonal tasks ahead.
First is our attempt to help some of our former residents (now numbering over 400) with back-to-school supplies and clothes. Once they have lived at Bridgeway, they become family and, like all families, we want to help them as they prepare their children for school.
Getting ready for a new school year is always a challenge, but it is especially challenging when you are on a limited budget. Many former residents are managing just fine and don’t need this extra help. Many, however, are still struggling. They love their children and want them to have all they need to get off on the right foot for school. Your support enables us to help them, not only with school supplies but with an outfit to feel their best. Caring Connections helps us with 12-15 outfits, and we are very grateful. However, there are more children with needs.
Providers’ Resource Clearing House helps us with some school supplies, but, again, there are more needs.
Right after we finish the back-to-school endeavors, we begin the federal and state campaigns for combined giving and the Caring Connection’s local agencies’ campaign. Please remember Bridgeway if you are asked to give at work through payroll deduction. If your place of business only offers United Way, you can still designate Bridgeway. And, for those of you who work for the government, your campaigns will offer you the opportunity to identify Bridgeway as your charity of choice. We appreciate it so much when you so generously help us and think of our young moms.
If we stop to take a deep breath, we find ourselves preparing for Thanksgiving, and then, in the twinkling of an eye, it’s Christmas!
It gets overwhelming if we jump too far ahead. I try to remember that very thing when a new resident moves in. At that point, the mountain seems too high to climb. What about a doctor? School? Nutritional needs? Parenting skills? The mountain just keeps growing larger. We try to break it all down to one step at a time, building on each success. Before she knows it, life’s little pieces begin to fall into place. The resident is amazed that, often for the first time, she can see her life coming together.
Without all of your help we couldn’t start the process of climbing mountains. Thanks from the bottom of all of our hearts.