{"id":11594,"date":"2015-09-03T12:00:13","date_gmt":"2015-09-03T16:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=11594"},"modified":"2015-09-03T11:58:18","modified_gmt":"2015-09-03T15:58:18","slug":"backpack-event-connects-the-needy-with-the-caring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=11594","title":{"rendered":"Backpack event connects the needy with the caring"},"content":{"rendered":"

Almost 1,400 students in need get back to school supplies, bags<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By Lauren Parker-Gill<\/strong><\/span>,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Backpak1\"<\/a>

Jane Johnson, a member of the committee for the Back to School event and a board member of the Bridge Academy and Community Center, helped students choose their backpacks filled with school supplies Friday at Scott Middle School. Photo courtesy of Coatesville Back to School: Prepare for Success event committee.<\/p><\/div>\n

COATESVILLE \u2013 The lines began forming at 8 a.m. for Coatesville\u2019s Third annual Back-to-School: Prepare for Success Event Friday at Scott Middle School where a team of volunteers, community organizations and sponsors came together to provide students in the district with backpacks, school supplies, hair cuts and a celebration for the start of a new school year.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>In years past, several organizations in Coatesville held their own school bag drives to provide supplies needed for a successful year. That all changed in 2012 when 10 organizations combined efforts to hold one bigger, better event for the children and families in the community. In doing so, this event is able to bring the community together to make a difference for the children in Coatesville and to ensure they are prepared for the school year.<\/p>\n

Today, the committee consists of the Coatesville Area School District, Bridge Academy and Community Center, Coatesville Center for Community Health, City of Coatesville, Coatesville Soup Kitchen, The Movement, Coatesville Police Department, Coatesville Youth Initiative, County Corrections Gospel Mission, and United Way of Chester County.<\/p>\n

\"Nackpack2\"<\/a>

Over 1,500 stylish back packs were filled and waiting to be chosen by students in the Coatesville Area School District with the help of 100 volunteers.<\/p><\/div>\n

Approximately 100 volunteers, all dressed in blue shirts, greeted 1,384 students from kindergarten-12th<\/sup> grades in the Coatesville Area School District as they received school bags filled with age-appropriate school supplies. 1,558 book bags were collected, which exceeded the committee\u2019s goal of 1,500.<\/p>\n

Executive Director of the Coatesville Youth Initiative, Chaya Scott said the committee would continue to distribute the remaining bags to the schools throughout the year and will also touch base midyear with the schools and after school programs to refresh supplies.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an amazing day\u2026probably the best one so far.\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n

As administrators and teachers from the Coatesville School District greeted students and met their families, excitement was in the air as all celebrated the beginning of the new school year. Along with free haircuts, provided by the students in the barbering program of the Chester County Technical College High School, there were balloons, moon bounces, snow cones, cotton candy and hot dogs for the children and families to enjoy.<\/p>\n

\"Backpack3\"<\/a>

Brothers Trey and Xander Natiello proudly smiled after picking out their new back packs Friday.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an amazing program. Coatesville has a bad rap and it\u2019s so nice to see everyone come together for this,\u201d said Cameron Natiello who attended the event with her two boys, Trey 8, and Xander, 5.<\/p>\n

The Third Annual Coatesville Back to School Event was made possible through the generosity of the following organizations:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Red Sponsors <\/strong><\/p>\n

Brandywine Health Foundation<\/p>\n

Bridge Academy and Community Center<\/p>\n

Chester County Regional Education Services<\/p>\n

Citadel<\/p>\n

Coatesville Youth Initiative<\/p>\n

Rita\u2019s of Gap<\/p>\n

Rita\u2019s of Intercourse<\/p>\n

Rita\u2019s of Exton\/Eagleview<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Green Sponsors <\/strong><\/p>\n

Bell Chapel True Holiness Church of God<\/p>\n

Brilliant Graphics<\/p>\n

County Corrections Gospel Mission<\/p>\n

CTDI<\/p>\n

Derrick Morgan Foundation<\/p>\n

Exton Sam\u2019s Club #6558<\/p>\n

Liberty Tax Services<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Blue Sponsors <\/strong><\/p>\n

Rotary Club of Coatesville<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Children\u2019s Entertainment Sponsors<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Ollis Family<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In-kind Donors<\/strong><\/p>\n

City of Coatesville<\/p>\n

Wawa Charitable Foundation<\/p>\n

YMCA of Greater Brandywine<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Friends of the Coatesville Back to School Event<\/strong><\/p>\n

Grove United Methodist Church – Uniform Sponsor<\/p>\n

St. Andrew\u2019s Episcopal Church\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 – Uniform Donation<\/p>\n

Technical College High School – Hot dog Sponsor<\/p>\n

UPS Store 3093-Downingtown<\/p>\n

Lauren Ferguson<\/p>\n

Jerriann Manze<\/p>\n

Crissy Mettinger<\/p>\n

David and Jean Grace<\/p>\n

Coatesville Soup Kitchen<\/p>\n

Cricket Wireless<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bookbag and Supply Donors<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aaron\u2019s<\/p>\n

The Angela Hawkins Family<\/p>\n

Bill Shaw<\/p>\n

Bridge Academy and Community Center<\/p>\n

Brilliant Graphics<\/p>\n

Carol Tritt Family<\/p>\n

Calvary Fellowship Church<\/p>\n

Chester County Library<\/p>\n

Chester County Health Department<\/p>\n

Christ Community Church<\/p>\n

Christine Lyons<\/p>\n

County Corrections Gospel Mission<\/p>\n

Coatesville Center for Community Health<\/p>\n

Coatesville Area Senior Center<\/p>\n

Coatesville Savings Bank<\/p>\n

Coatesville Youth Initiative<\/p>\n

Communication Automation Corp.<\/p>\n

Crossfit Elation<\/p>\n

Darletta Kelly<\/p>\n

Diane Brownfield<\/p>\n

Downingtown East Field Hockey<\/p>\n

Dr. Leiss Orthodontics<\/p>\n

Farmers Insurance- Denise James Agency<\/p>\n

First Baptist Church of Pequea<\/p>\n

Freedom Life Christian Church<\/p>\n

Gateway Church<\/p>\n

GE<\/p>\n

Heidi Bowman Family<\/p>\n

Henrietta Hankin Library<\/p>\n

Hutchinson United African Methodist Episcopal Church Family<\/p>\n

The Hutchinson Family<\/p>\n

Iota Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated<\/p>\n

Jill Santiago<\/p>\n

Kennedy Family<\/p>\n

King’s Highway Elementary School<\/p>\n

Met Life<\/p>\n

Pam Lathbury<\/p>\n

Penn Premiere Dental<\/p>\n

Pepperidge Farm<\/p>\n

Romansville United Methodist<\/p>\n

Sikorsky<\/p>\n

St. Andrew\u2019s Episcopal Church<\/p>\n

State Farm Insurance<\/p>\n

Urban Christian Bowling League<\/p>\n

United Way of Chester County<\/p>\n

Voya Financial, Community Partners<\/p>\n

Willowdale Chapel<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Of note: The committee for the Back to School event, who also thank the donors that chose to remain anonymous, provided this list. They apologize for any inaccuracies and welcome corrections.<\/p>\n

Please visit the official site of the Coatesville Back to School: Prepare for Success<\/a> for more pictures of the event or to contact.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Almost 1,400 students in need get back to school supplies, bags By Lauren Parker-Gill,\u00a0Staff Writer, The Times COATESVILLE \u2013 The lines began forming at 8 a.m. for Coatesville\u2019s Third annual Back-to-School: Prepare for Success Event Friday at Scott Middle School where a team of volunteers, community organizations and sponsors came together to provide students in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11591,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7],"tags":[6322,2196,2638,185,187,1515,1543,6323,196,6325,6324,1376],"class_list":["post-11594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-featured","tag-backpacks","tag-bridge-academy-and-community-center","tag-city-of-coatesville","tag-coatesville","tag-coatesville-area-school-district","tag-coatesville-center-for-community-health","tag-coatesville-police-department","tag-coatesville-soup-kitchen","tag-coatesville-youth-initiative","tag-county-corrections-gospel-mission","tag-the-movement","tag-united-way-of-chester-county"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11594"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11595,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11594\/revisions\/11595"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}