Hundreds of children are heading back to school with the supplies they need thanks to the generosity of DePelchin donors.
Throughout the summer, DePelchin donors, staff, and volunteers have worked to fill 900 new backpacks with school supplies such as paper, binders, and pencils and pens. Volunteers have spent many hours at the DePelchin Donation Station in Houston sorting supplies and stuffing backpacks to ensure they are ready for school, which is beginning this month across Texas. The backpacks are being distributed to children involved with foster care and other DePelchin programs in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Lubbock. DePelchin provides the backpacks in order to help students start the year successfully and as a way to support families providing foster care.
The Back-to-School Drive is a DePelchin tradition that recognizes the importance of supporting children and youth not only by connecting them with loving foster families, but also by helping to meet their academic and other needs. The organization also provides school-based, no-cost individual counseling to students in elementary, middle and high schools on 20 campuses and in four school districts throughout Greater Houston and Baytown.
These services are designed to address the social and emotional needs of children and teenagers who may be facing trauma, anger, depression, grief, anxiety, family conflict, or social struggles. If requested by a school, clinicians can also work with students in groups to address issues such as self-esteem, grief, and anger management.
DePelchin is profoundly grateful to all of the donors and volunteers who have made it possible for us to equip so many students with backpacks to start the year. We will continue to support these students and their families in order to help them succeed in school — and well beyond.
