Supplies go to local children facing financial hardship
Nearly one in three families are unable to afford school supplies each year, and with inflation that number is on the rise. The Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida (CAC) is teaming up with the Cape Coral Police Department and others throughout the community to collect backpacks and school supplies to help children facing financial hardship as they head back to school.
It takes a team of supporters. In June, Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida and the Cape Coral PD kicked off the annual Community Backpack Drive with a generous donation of backpacks, school items, and shelf-stable food. Brown & Brown Insurance also stepped up to sponsor this year’s backpack drive to help CAC exceed its goal of helping 200 children.
“Education is so important, and Brown & Brown is excited to participate as a sponsor for this year’s backpack drive,” says Jake Sherwin, Employee Benefits Advisor. “The Children’s Advocacy Center has certainly defined itself as one of the most impactful nonprofit organizations in Southwest Florida, and we look forward to working with them to provide local students with the tools they need to be successful in the upcoming school year as well as watch the continued growth, impact, and value that this organization brings to our local communities.”
To support the backpack drive and the CACs prevention programs, donations of new school supplies may be made between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. before July 20 at the following locations:
Children’s Advocacy Center, 3830 Evans Ave., Fort Myers
Cape Coral Police Department, 1100 Cultural Park Blvd., Cape Coral
Since 1981, the CAC’s mission has been to provide a coordinated response to victims of child abuse and neglect to improve the lives of at-risk children and their families through prevention services. The CAC provides abuse determination services, therapeutic counseling, pet therapy, advocacy, and parenting education. CEO, Julie Boudreaux, encourages the community to help where they can.
“It can cost parents around $600 to send one child back to school with new supplies. We are hoping to collect about 200 backpacks during the drive to help students go back to school prepared,” says Boudreaux. “Backpacks and school supplies are given to children in need throughout the year by the Center, filled with clothes and any items we can provide for our clients and their families.”
For more information on the Children’s Advocacy Center and how you can help to support the Community Backpack Drive or other initiatives that help children and families, please call 239-939-2808 or consider making a tax-deductible donation at cac-swfl.org. You can also sign up for their newsletter to stay informed on other upcoming events.
About Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida
Since 1981, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida, Inc. (CAC) has worked to improve the lives of children and their families through a coordinated response to child abuse and neglect, offering them a safe and friendly environment in which to heal. CAC provides abuse determination services, pet therapy, therapeutic counseling, parenting education, and prevention programs in Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Charlotte Counties. All services are provided free of charge. For more information, please call 239-939-2808 or visit cac-swfl.org. CAC is a United Way Partner Agency.
