Back to School Event in the Age of Coronvirus
CSA staff are gearing up for what is expected to be the most challenging Back to School distribution event in the agency’s 63-year history. “With so many people looking to CSA for help with food and rental assistance since the COVID-19 health crisis, we are expecting a significant increase in the number of children participating in this year’s event,” says Brandi Jothimani, Homeless Prevention Services Director. “And, since school districts are still assessing what instruction will look like – virtual or otherwise – the kind of supplies we have offered in the past, especially backpacks, may need to be modified.”
To keep families safe from coronavirus transmission, CSA is changing this year’s distribution event. Instead of bringing children into the agency to select the perfect backpack and supplies, CSA will be giving parents a $50 gift card for each school-age child. “This will give families more flexibility in purchasing items their children need specific to class instruction.”
“It breaks our heart that we can’t do a regular backpack event this year,” continues Jothimani. “We always have so much fun watching children pick out the perfect backpack, get their school supplies and cap off the experience with some ice cream. We are keeping our fingers crossed that next year’s event will be back to normal.”
Back to School distribution will kick off on August 3rd and continue through the month of August. Families must be enrolled in our client database in order to participate. Case managers will be handing out gift cards to registered clients during food distributions held in our parking lot throughout the month of August.
The event is administered through the agency’s Homeless Prevention Services department, and is supported by Google, Inc., the Dudley-Vehemeyer-Brown Foundation and generous community partners. Individuals who would like to contribute to this program are encouraged to drop off or mail Target gift cards in $25 or $50 denominations to the agency at 204 Stierlin Road, Mountain View 94043. You can also make an online donation to help us purchase gift cards by clicking here.
