Valley Students Treated to Back-to-School Supplies

Students Receive Free School Supplies-Contributed Photo

DERBY- Members of the Corporate Volunteer Council gathered Thursday at Irving School to proudly send 134 students in great need, back to school in style and ready to learn. 

The students at Irving who participated in this program are some of the community’s most vulnerable, and in need of assistance to go back to school with all the necessary supplies, like notebooks, pencils, crayons, and backpacks.

Principal Jen Olson and her incredible staff were so appreciative of the support from Valley United Way and the Corporate Volunteer Council companies who contributed and could not say enough about the impact this will have on their students. 

When the students and their families arrived to meet with the company who sponsored them, the children smiled ear to ear with excitement for all of their new items. Many moms were brought to tears at the generosity, stating people will never know just how much this is helping their family. 

Each child received a bin filled with two complete outfits to start school in style, a pair of sneakers, a winter coat, and a backpack filled with every school supply imaginable. 

 

Director of the Volunteer Center and Corporate Volunteer Council Patricia Tarasovic said, “The generosity and kindness of the CVC with Back to School reflects the overall CVC mission of making the greatest impact.” 

 

As the Corporate Volunteer Council wraps up its 20th Anniversary, members can proudly say that to date, the Back to School Clothes for Kids Program has supported a total of 2,987 children and invested $604,940 in Valley youth.

 

Thank you goes to all of the companies who participated and made an impact in our community’s children.

To Join in the Fight for a Stronger Community and help Valley United Way reach its goal, visit www.valleyunitedway.org or call 203-926-9478. 

Valley United Way is a registered 501(c)(3) organization proudly serving Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton.  

 

United Way fights for the health, education of financial stability of every person in every community.  

 
(This is a press release from Valley United Way) 

Corporate Volunteer Council raises $15K to feed children

'Give A Duck' fund-raising effort in Shelton

Rubber ducks fill pool around fountain at 'Give-A-Duck' event Thursday at Corporate Park in Shelton./ Contributed photo

SHELTON - The Valley United Way Corporate Volunteer Council raised $15,000 to address food insecurity in children over the summer months as part of the 2014 Day of Action.

In an effort to address growing concerns about food insecurity in the Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Shelton and Oxford, the Valley United Way Corporate Volunteer Council sold rubber ducks for $5.
The fund-raising effort concluded June 19 at Shelton Corporate Park, where rubber ducks were placed into the water fountain to represent the thousands of children who will receive meals this summer.

“We are delighted to address the food needs of the Valley community through continuing events involving the Valley Corporate Community. Our goal is to open hearts to fill the Valley food pantries to fill lives throughout the year, particularly when children who rely on free or reduced-price school lunches are home from school. These children should be focusing on fun, not coping with hunger,” CVC Co-Chair Kristen Urso-Rio said.

“The ducks in the fountain represented the children that will be fed this summer.  We were able to raise awareness to this issue, reach out and make a difference,” Katie Scinto, CVC Co-Chair, said.

                                                          

This initiative is taking place as part of the Day of Action.
United Way rallies communities each year near the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, to make a collective impact in a call to action to create a measurable difference.

Food during the summer is critical for children who are part of the supplemental nutritional assistance program, otherwise known as SNAP. During the summer months, these children do not receive meals they would be provided during the school year, which places added stress on families currently in need.

For more on this story, visit - http://www.valleyunitedway.org/index.php/15000-raised-in-cvcs-day-of-action/.

Valley United Way is the leading philanthropic resource for the Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton matching the needs of the community and the interests of donors to improve the quality of life in the community. 

United Way supports and creates initiatives addressing youth, families and people in crisis.

Contact Patricia Tarasovic, Director of the Volunteer Center, at patricia.tarasovic@valleyunitedway.org or at 203-926-9478 for more information.

This is a press release from Valley United Way. 

United Way selects Seymour schools for project

18th annual Back to School Clothes for Kids

SHELTON - Valley United Way’s Corporate Volunteer Council has selected Seymour elementary schools to benefit from the 2013 CVC Back to School Clothes for Kids Project. 

Last year, 193 students from Irving and Bradley Elementary Schools in Derby received their own box of new clothing to begin the school year. 

To date the CVC has outfitted 2396 Valley children and spent $449,940.

The goal of the CVC project is to provide new clothing to children in need at the start of the school year. 

Nationally, statistics show that many underprivileged children miss the first few days of school simply because they do not have new clothes to wear. 
The hope of the Council is that by providing the children with clothes and school supplies they will be encouraged to do their best while receiving a boost to their self-esteem. 

CVC companies strongly feel the attendance of the children on the first day of school attests to the fact that the program is a success. Higher percentages of attendance have been recorded.

One week prior to the beginning of the school year the children and parents will be invited to the school gym and personally presented with their gifts by members of the CVC companies. 

Valley United Way Youth Leaders assist the CVC as Volunteers at this highly successful CVC project.

The students will receive two new outfits, a winter coat, shoes and an overflowing backpack full of school supplies such as pens, pencils, paper and colorful markers.

The Corporate Volunteer Council is a coalition of local businesses and corporations that have an active employee volunteer involvement program. 
It plays a vital role in boosting self-esteem and confidence by helping children to look and feel their best when they attend school, which has a proven positive effect on educational performance.

Valley United Way is the leading philanthropic resource for the Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton matching the needs of the community and the interests of donors to improve the quality of life in the community.


This information is taken from a press release from Valley United Way. 

Irving School students to get back-to-school boost

Corporate Volunteer Council members pose next to piles of back-to-school items. / Contributed photo

Employees from 46 companies from Valley United Way’s Corporate Volunteer Council (CVC) will join together in the gym at Irving School in Derby Thursday for the 17th Back to School Clothes for Kids project with outstanding results.
About 200 Derby schoolchildren in need from Irving and Bradley schools will be presented with bins filled with two complete outfits, underwear, socks, sneakers, a winter coat and a backpack filled with school supplies. Their happy smiling faces guarantee that they will have that extra step in their walk as they begin their year at school.
To date the CVC has outfitted 2,402 Valley children and spent $480,400.

Interim Derby Superintendent of Schools George Tanner along with Jennifer Olson, Irving School Principal and Christine DiGrazia, Bradley School Principal, will be on hand to greet the children and thank the CVC companies for their generous donations.

The goal of the CVC project is to provide new clothing to needy children at the start of the school year in an effort to improve attendance on the first days of school and boost confidence. National statistics show that many underprivileged children miss the first few days of school simply because they do not have new clothes to wear.
The CVC hopes that by providing the children with clothes and school supplies, they will be encouraged to do their best while receiving a boost to their self-esteem. CVC Companies strongly feel that the attendance of the children on the first day of school attributes to this program’s success

The CVC is a coalition of local businesses and corporations that have an active employee volunteer involvement program.  The CVC is proud to play a vital role in boosting self-esteem and confidence by helping children to look and feel their best when they attend school, which has a proven positive effect on educational performance.
For information contact Valley United Way’s Volunteer Center Director, Patricia Tarasovic, 203-926-9478 or at patricia.tarasovic@valleyunitedway.org.

The above information was contributed by Patricia Tarasovic, Valley United Way.