Unique Program Helps Low-Income Families at Back-to-School Time

The back-to-school season can be very stressful for low-income families and children. To alleviate some of their financial burdens, The Salvation Army in Sarnia, Ont., developed a unique program that helps to ensure that the start of the school year is exciting for all children and their families.

“All children deserve to have a good start to their school year and an equal opportunity to succeed.”

“A team of volunteers assembled more than 350 fashionable lunch bags with five drink boxes and 15 snacks in each one to help struggling families ease into the first week of school,” says Lynn Huey, community and family services manager. “All children deserve to have a good start to their school year and an equal opportunity to succeed.”

Last year was the first year for the lunch-bag-and-snack program. Due to the great success of the venture, the number of bags distributed this year doubled.

“The program was well-received and is huge for low-income families,” says Huey. “Providing snacks to them gives them one less thing to worry about.”

Huey recalls one single mother who said her child tax benefit bought back-to-school shoes and clothing for three children. But there was literally no money left for snacks.

“Providing snacks to them gives them one less thing to worry about.”

“It’s heart-warming to watch youth skip out with their selected lunch bags and know that this year, they won’t be one of those kids without snacks,” says Huey.

Huey is grateful for local partnerships who have provided discounts and donations toward the initiative.

Every year, The Salvation Army strives to ensure that all children start their school year off successfully. From backpacks to school feeding programs and other practical assistance, The Salvation Army wants to ease the burdens that parents experience at the start of the school year and to set the right tone for children to have the best term possible.