On hand for the delivery of Altrusa’s Buddy Bags are, from left, Phil Mitchell, Mansfield City Schools S.A.F.E. program; Marilyn McFarland, Linda Williams and Susie Harlan, Altrusa; Bob Harlan; Sheryl Weber, board of education; Sherry Hill of Altrusa, and Holly Christie, MCS director of student support. Altrusa International of Mansfield recently delivered 100 Buddy Bags for children served by Mansfield City Schools’ S.A.F.E. office (Student Achievement through Family Engagement).
The S.A.F.E.
program aids homeless students and families, whether they are housed in
shelters or doubled-up with relatives or friends.
Altrusa delivered 100 Buddy Bags – 20 for preschool children, 40 for kindergarten and first grade, and 40 for second and third grade.
Each bag contains 10 to 12 items, include toys, activities and hygiene packs (towel, wash cloth, toothbrush, toothpaste, Kleenex, 3-in-1 shampoo, body wash and conditioner, brush and comb).
The club
also contributed 200 bags of nutritious snack packs.
Altrusa is a
longtime supporter of Mansfield City Schools. In August, Susie Harland and
Linda Williams, co-chairs of the Tools for Schools program, told the board of
education that the club spends about $18,000 each year for school supplies.
At the August
meeting Williams said 57,000 items already had been distributed for 2018-19 in
Richland County with about 75 percent going to Mansfield City Schools.
The club
uses proceeds from its largest fund-raising event, the annual Spring Bash at
the Richland County Fairgrounds, to purchase pencils, crayons, notebooks, paper,
backpacks and other supplies for students.