Every Child Deserves a Strong Start

This morning on Talk of The Town, they asked me why The School Store is one of my favorite time of year.

The honest answer is that it's because I get to witness two beautiful things happening at the same time.

The first is watching a child walk out with a brand-new backpack and water bottle, shoulders just a little straighter than when they walked in.

The second is watching a community decide that no child should start school carrying the weight of financial stress alone.

For many families, the start of a new school year comes with impossible choices. Groceries. Rent. Summer childcare. And before they've had a chance to catch their breath, school supplies are suddenly on the list too.

The School Store brings our community together to answer that need with dignity.Each summer at The Store, volunteers fill our space with joy and encouragement as families choose quality backpacks and school supplies for their children. It's built around dignity, choice, and community. Not a handout. A celebration of a new beginning.

This year, we're preparing to welcome more than 800 children.

To do that, we need our community to show up once again.

If you or your team can give a few hours to volunteer, we'd love to have you. And if you'd rather help provide the supplies that fill those backpacks, your financial support makes that possible.

Details in the comments below.

Every child deserves to begin the school year feeling confident and prepared. And every year, I'm reminded that when a community comes together with generosity and purpose, amazing things happen.