Back to School 2022
The Salvation Army Austin operates two emergency family shelters in Travis County, The Austin Shelter for Women and Children and The Rathgeber Center for Families. These facilities prioritize keeping families together while the guardian works to get back on their feet and maintain as much normalcy as possible for their children in the meanwhile. Every year at back to school time, The Salvation Army commits to providing all the supplies these children need to start their school year off with the same excitement and readiness as every other child.
According to the National Retail Federation, the average household spends $864 each year on school supplies. This amount of money can make or break any family’s budget, but is especially difficult on families experiencing homelessness. By providing these children with the school supplies they need, a burden is lifted off their guardians shoulders. Without the added stress of figuring out a way to provide supplies for their children, they can focus their efforts on working to overcome any obstacles and regain self-sufficiency.
Adriana and three of her children are currently living at our Rathgeber Center for Families. In a recent conversation with her, she emphasized how much of a blessing it was for her to know her children’s school supplies would be provided cost-free. “I was sitting there racking my mind, thinking how am I gonna get all three of my boys their school supplies this year. Then Ms. Carrie made an announcement that they would be providing school supplies for every child in the shelter, and I just immediately started crying. I was so thankful.” Without the support of our community, we would not be able to provide for families like Adriana’s.
We want to give a huge thank you to everyone who has participated in our Back to School Drive so far. Because of your generosity, we have almost all of the supplies we need to provide for every child living in our shelters. But we are not done yet! Some children have specialized school supply needs that have yet to be met. In order to fill any gaps, we are accepting monetary donations that we will use to shop for any unmet needs. With back to school right around the corner, make your gift today to ensure the children in our shelters are ready to get back to the classroom! CLICK HERE to make a gift now.