Back to School 2023 - Empowering Students through Education
Back to School season is officially here! School supplies are appearing on store shelves and Back to School ads are everywhere. While many parents have already started purchasing supplies to ensure their children are well prepared, others are overwhelmed by the financial burden that comes along with the new school year. According to a 2022 Deloitte Back to School survey, the average amount spent on one child’s Back to School needs last year was a staggering $661.
The Salvation Army Austin operates two emergency family shelters in Travis County, The Austin Shelter for Women and Children and The Rathgeber Center for Families. These facilities provide families with resources to transition out of crisis and into stability while maintaining a sense of normalcy for their children. Every year, we host a Back to School Drive to ensure the children living in our family shelters have the supplies they need to start school with the same readiness as any other child. This is only possible with the help of the community that surrounds us.
“Starting a new school year is already a stressful event for kids. Adding experiencing homelessness to the mix increases the stress on both the parent and child. Being able to provide children with school supplies helps set families up for a successful school year...it’s one less financial burden on the parents,” shared Anali Delgado, director of The Austin Shelter for Women and Children.
You can empower students in your community and alleviate the financial stress the new school year brings by donating to our Back to School Drive today!
Get involved by shopping our Amazon and Walmart wish lists or making a monetary donation. You can also organize a drive at your company, church, or organization.
Amazon Wish List Walmart Wish List Monetary Donation
For questions or more information on drives, please contact Alexandra Nissim at 512.634.5937 or Alexandra.Nissim@uss.salvationarmy.org.