back to school

Well, my summer vacation officially ended yesterday and school has resumed. I didn't realize how much I loved my summer break until it was over...Of course I am very happy to be back at work though and it didn't take long for me to be extremely busy with kids who need school supplies, clothes, shoes, sports fees paid, medical care, etc. etc. It's going to be a busy year and I am trying to find a way to have enough money and funding sources to support all these kids. I don't want to have to turn anyone away this year and so far I have had great luck finding donations...but there are definitely some who slip through the cracks.

Today I met a student who is part of a family of 7, struggling to make ends meet after his dad was laid off. We went through a list of stuff he might need and then started talking about sports. He told me he is playing football so I asked if he has everything he needs to play. He said he really needs a new pair of cleats so I asked what he is using right now. He told me he went through the gym's lost and found and found 2 different shoes, 1 velcro size 13 and one lace-up size 14...and has been wearing them all year. If that doesn't make your heart hurt, I don't know what does. He was very sweet about everything, said he would make do with what he had but I could just tell he was holding back as he told me about giving up his summer in order to work to support his family...I made a few calls around, hoping to find some sort of help. I wanted to get him some socks (it was the one thing he told me he really needed) and some new cleats. The right size. Amazingly, the football booster club president called me back and said, while they don't get many requests like this, she would be happy to help. Tomorrow is the first football game of the season and she will be delivering a brand new pair of football cleats, both size 14, to my office before the game. I am so excited to give them to him.

I don't know if the booster club is paying for these cleats or if the president herself is doing it. So often I make these calls to organizations who might be able to help only to find that the person who answers just feels so strongly about helping that they will pay for it out of their personal bank accounts.

The truth is, I would absolutely positively love to be the one writing checks to buy these things, shopping for new shoes and kitchen towels for my families...and honestly, I can't say I haven't already done it in my years of working in this type of work...but, while we are fortunate to never go without, my bank account is sadly not big enough to meet the needs of every student who walks through my door and I am often desperately seeking help from outside organizations for any support they can give me. It breaks my heart to turn away anyone who is hungry, cold, tired, sick or hurting so my goal this year is to never have to say no. It's a lofty one because so many community agencies are as just as tapped out for resources as their clients are...but I'm going to try. This is why I do the work I do (to help others) and I hope I can be the person families can turn to in their most desperate times of need.

Sad stories aside, I have had lots of students from last year stop by already to say hi and it has been so fun to see their growth and maturity in just a few short months of summer. I'm so proud of the resilient kids who walk through our doors every day and I can't wait to celebrate each little victory as they continue on their paths. Somedays are harder than others but I really think I am lucky to get to do what I do.