HARTFORD, Conn — A group that for years has organized a backpack giveaway at the start of the school year for Hartford students is reaching out for help after the backpacks suffered water damage in a flooded basement last week.
The Village for Families & Children gives out backpacks for students in eight Hartford schools every year.
Sarah Thompson, the senior director of marketing and communications, told FOX61 that recent flooding in the basement of one of their buildings destroyed the boxes.
"And can't give out water-damaged backpacks," she added.
The Village works with eight Hartford Schools to distribute the school supplies to students in need. They set up a website where people can donate to help them restock.
"The Village staff worked through the weekend to clean up the flooding, but the need for this support had already increased this year and now is compounded because of this untimely loss due to the recent bad weather," Thompson said.
She said the goal is to get the backpacks to students by the end of the week and before Hartford Schools go back in session on Monday.
A call for help after water damages to backpacks
The Village also supplies counseling and other services for these schools:
Alfred E. Burr Middle School
- After-School Programs
- School-Based Mental Health
- Teen Outreach Program (TOP)
- Truancy Prevention
Burns Elementary School
- Family Resource Center
- School-Based Mental Health
Fred D. Wish Museum School
- After-School Programs
- School-Based Mental Health
- Family Resource Center
Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School
- After-School Programs
- Teen Outreach Program (TOP)
- Truancy Prevention
Michael D. Fox Elementary School
- After-School Programs
- School-Based Mental Health
Milner Middle School
- School Day Activities
- Teen Outreach Program (TOP)
- Truancy Prevention
S.A.N.D. Elementary School
- After-School Programs
- School-Based Mental Health
- Family Resource Center
Sarah J. Rawson Elementary School
- After-School Programs
- School-Based Mental Health
- Family Resource Center
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