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Help Local Families and Teach Your Kids Compassion

By Ellen DeFrancesco, Publishing Mom of This Newsletter July 23, 2014

I look forward to the beginning of a new school year because I have always loved, loved, loved school supply shopping.  For the past few years, my family has added to this tradition.  When we went shopping, we told Emma and Chloe they had to fill a backpack with supplies from their school list, but they also have to pick out a second backpack for a "friend" and fill it with supplies from our donation list. We explained that some families don't have enough money to buy new school supplies or if they could it's a real struggle. We should help. We asked the girls how they would feel if they didn’t have supplies on the first day of school.  Both girls, even at a young age, could understand how this would feel and they both agreed that it was a great idea because as Emma said, "I would be very sad to go to school on the first day without stuff."

I struggle to find ways to teach my girls that helping others is as necessary as breathing. When they're little it's hard for them to grasp these ideas. So I try to lead by example and do things they can relate to. Like school supply shopping. My girls have more fun picking out school supplies for their "friend" than for themselves. When Emma was in Kindergarten, she decided her extra backpack should be for a girl. I explained it might be easier to pick out a backpack and supplies that either a boy or a girl could use. But she wouldn't have it. Emma said she wanted to pick out pink things and "girly" folders because that's what she would want. At 5 years of age, she got the idea and could obviously relate to her new "friend".  She spent more time choosing our donated supplies than her own because she wanted the little girl to really like them and feel special.

This year Macaroni Kid Long Beach-Oceanside-Rockville Centre is partnering with Bethany House, a nonprofit organization offering emergency shelter and services for women and their children caught in the crisis of homelessness.  I ask you to join me and my family in creating a backpack with new school supplies to give to needy Long Island kids. Kids just like ours who live in OUR community. Please buy one new backpack and fill it with supplies such as:

  • Spiral Notebooks
  • Marble Notebooks
  • Loose Leaf
  • Binders
  • Crayons
  • Markers
  • Pencils
  • Colored Pencils
  • Pencil Cases
  • Ballpoint Pens
  • Rulers
  • Glue Sticks
  • Scissors

Go to the dollar store, check out back-to-school sales, use coupons, it’s not expensive but it can help a child tremendously and a mom trying to get back on her feet with one less thing to worry about.  I can meet you to collect the bags to bring to Bethany House.  If you have any questions, please email me at: ellend@macaronikid.com.

Click HERE for more information about Bethany House.