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Back to School Clothing Drive helps out Luke families

Donations still needed for direct delivery to schools

Posted 7/28/20

Almost 250 Luke Air Force Base families benefitted from the Back to School Clothing Drive on July 23 at Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale.

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Back to School Clothing Drive helps out Luke families

Donations still needed for direct delivery to schools

Posted

Almost 250 Luke Air Force Base families benefitted from the Back to School Clothing Drive on July 23 at Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale.

For the week, 232 volunteers provided back-to-school supplies, uniforms, clothing and more for 245 elementary school children from the base during a drive-up distribution.

“We will fulfill our promise to provide school clothing, uniforms, backpacks, school supplies and other essential items for elementary school-aged students, their families and schools, even with the challenges COVID-19 has presented,” Back to School Clothing Drive (BTSCD) executive director Karl Gentles stated in a news release. “Yes, we’ve had to adapt to the virus like everyone else while still being able to provide these essential needs to between 3,500 and 4,000 children. Even with a drop in fundraising support during this very difficult time, we are committed to our mission and to the children.”

Mr. Gentles said that BTSCD, Arizona’s largest provider of uniforms, backpacks and supplies, converted from its annual on-site distribution to 5,000 Title 1 students at Grand Canyon University to a drive-by distribution event at Gila River Arena serving 1,000 Luke Air Force Base families in a collaboration with Fighter Country Partnership and the BHHS Legacy Foundation.

The effort also delivered requested supplies for 2,000 students to specific Title 1 schools in Maricopa County; delivered supplies to 600 children in foster care in partnership with Arizona Helping Hands; and delivered supplies for 400 children who may be homeless or in transition through Children’s First Academy and Sequoia Choice Charter School in Mesa.

Families at Luke Air Force Base and families whose children attend Title 1 and other participating schools had to pre-register for Back to School Clothing Drive support.

“Throughout the rest of the year, we will continue providing support to other schools and districts through direct delivery of supplies,” Mr. Gentles said, adding that “we are still in need of both financial support and donations of supplies which can be done online” at https://www.backtoschoolclothingdrive.com.

Founded in 1967, Back to School Clothing Drive is Arizona’s largest provider of new school outfits, uniforms, backpacks and school supplies to children in need. Back-to-School Clothing Drive provides new school outfits and uniforms, backpacks and school supplies to more than 25,000 K-6 students at more than 260 schools in 40 Maricopa County school districts.

Back to School Clothing Drive operates on an annual budget of approximately $1 million with three employees, a 15-member volunteer board of directors and more than 2,500 volunteers.