The South West Community Foundation has recently completed the distribution through its Back to School program of 754 vouchers each worth $50 for allocation to young people across 71 schools in the south west. The total value of the vouchers distributed is $37,700 The schools involved are both primary and secondary schools spread across the whole of the south west’s six municipalities.
The vouchers are for uniforms, shoes and other school requisites. They are allocated on the advice of the schools to students from families that are finding it financially tough keeping their children properly set up for school.
Chair of the Community Foundation, Barrie Baker, commented that he hoped the vouchers would be useful with the winter months coming on. “While $50 is not a great amount of money, our experience is that it can still be very helpful as families prepare for the cooler months”.
“It is unfortunate that support of this kind is needed but given that there is a need it is very pleasing to be able to help” added Mr Baker.
The funding for the vouchers comes to the South West Foundation from the statewide Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) supplemented by the David and Isobel Jones Family Foundation. The program has been operating for several years and in this time it has benefitted a large number of students across the region.
“This sort of grass roots community support is a lot of what the Community Foundation is all about”, said Mr Baker. “It’s filling the gaps and strengthening our community fabric. I sincerely hope that we can maintain this Back to School program for many years to come.”
