SHELTON - When it comes to children in need, the Valley always comes through.
For the eighth consecutive year, an Annual Book Bag & School Supply drive has been a great
success. More than 100 book bags and an abundance of back to school supplies
were collected this year.
This drive was originally
started by the owners of Luther's Garage, which is now closed. It continues on an
annual basis through J Cuts at 505 Howe Ave.
Each year beginning July
1, Jennifer Sneider, owner of J Cuts, provides the main collection location
for supplies such as book bags, book covers, rulers, pens, pencils, erasers,
notebooks, binders, glue, crayons, calculators, pencil sharpeners,
paper, folders, and more.
"The outpouring
kindness of the community always warms my heart," Sneider said. “So many
people stop by to drop off donations. Many of my customers do not
hesitate to hand me five or 10 dollars so I can pick up what we are falling
short on. It is amazing how it all balances out for children in
need.”
Minuteman Press at 427B Howe Ave., donated collection posters again this year.
For a third year the Shelton Community Lions Club collected supplies during weekly
summer concerts on the Huntington Green. As a result, they were able to
contribute greatly to the drive.
The Shelton Community Lions
Club purchases eye glasses for less fortunate children, coordinates pediatric eye
screenings for daycare centers, and runs a poster contest for 11-13 year olds.
For the first time this year, Rehabilitation Associates, Inc. at 1931 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield, held a collection and dropped off supplies at J Cuts.
In addition, members of the First United Methodist Church in Shelton held their own drive and dropped off some last minute donations.
As an added bonus this
year, coordinators of the drive were contacted by Jackie Romaniuk, Dental
Health Care Specialist with the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership (CTDHP),
the dental plan for HUSKY Health.
They
provided oral kits each containing a tooth brush, toothpaste, floss and oral
health education.
The
CTDHP is the dental plan for HUSKY Health and promotes good oral hygiene to
more than 700,000 children and adults on the HUSKY Health plan. For the last
two years, CTDHP has partnered with community agencies, primary care providers
and OB/GYN offices across the state to share oral health kits with children and
pregnant women who are HUSKY Health members.
“The oral health kits contain tips to keep the mouth healthy as
well as the importance of maintaining a healthy mouth to maintain a person’s
general health," Romaniuk said. "The beginning of the school year traditionally correlates with
starting new routines and habits. This seems like the perfect opportunity to
spread the oral health message of the importance of daily oral hygiene and
scheduling a dental exam.”
HUSKY Health members can contact the CTDHP
call center at 855- CT- DENTAL or visit www.ctdhp.com for help connecting to
one of the 1,900 dental providers available.
Children receiving
donations from this community drive are served by TEAM,
Inc.in Derby, the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower
Naugatuck Valley, Shelton School Readiness Program and the Lower
Naugatuck Valley Parent Child Resource Center, all in Shelton, and BHcare in
Ansonia.
The oral kits were given
to students who received back to school donations, as well as kindergarten
students at Irving School in Derby and the Milford Department of Children & Families office.
Monkey Love Drive
J Cuts will be the main
collection site beginning Jan. 1 for the Ninth Annual
Monkey Love Valentine Drive.
Although this community drive officially
kicks off on Jan. 1, donations are accepted at any
time. Donations must be new, stuffed monkeys with tags.
This drive will benefit
the same groups of children in need as the Back to School Book Bag & School
Supply Drive.
The more stuffed monkeys collected, the more the donations
will be shared with additional agencies who assist needy children.
Any individual, group,
business or organization is welcome to join in the Annual Monkey Love Valentine
Drive by holding a collection.
Call Sneider at
203-924-4107 with questions or for more information.
This post is taken from a lightly edited press release from the drive organizers.
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