Home for Little Wanderers Seeking Back-to-School Donations

The Home for Little Wanderers’ annual Back-to-School Drive kicks off on August 1 and will run through September 28, 2012. As the nation’s oldest child and family service agency and one of New England’s largest, The Home touches the lives of more than 7,000 children and families living in at-risk circumstances each year. The non-profit is committed to fulfilling the back-to-school needs of the youth in its care and relies on the community’s support for donations.

According to Senior Corporate Relations Manager Jason Etheridge, The Home for Little Wanderers is already seeing an increased number of requests for back-to-school supplies as a result of the economy. “Many youth who are served by The Home’s community-based and residential programs come from families that are struggling to make ends meet. From our clinicians who provide mental health services in the Boston Public Schools to those who work with foster families in the community, we are hearing that our clients can’t afford back-to-school basics that have become requirements for students as they prepare for the upcoming academic year. Together with the generous support of local residents and corporate partners, we can help prepare children for successful futures.”

As people are back-to-school shopping, The Home for Little Wanderers hopes they will remember that many of the youth at The Home enter into care with few, if any, personal possessions. Receiving school supplies prepares them for a successful school year and boosts their self-esteem and confidence.

Several local businesses are partnering with The Home for Little Wanderers to collect items for this year’s Backpack Drive. Starting August 1, all donations of new backpacks and school supplies for youth of all ages can be dropped off at:

Watson’s Candies & Scoops
761 Main Street
Walpole, MA 02081

MacFarlane Energy
95 Bridge Street
Dedham, MA 02026

The Home for Little Wanderers
271 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115

For a list of much-needed school supplies or to make a monetary donation, please visit www.thehome.org/backtoschool or call 617-267-3700.