VIP Goes Back to School

I met him Tuesday afternoon when he came by my office with his therapist who wanted to pick up some grocery cards for his family. He and his sister had quietly shared that all they had been eating all week was pancakes. Mom admitted that they were out of money and she was trying to make the few staples she had left in the cupboard last as long as she could. Luckily, a recent gift from VIP supporter and acclaimed author Cornelia Funke meant we were able to help his family buy food for the week.

We let him sign his name when they came to pick up the cards. The shy seven year old seemed to know how important this was so he took his time, pausing between each perfectly formed letter to get it just right. When he was done I handed the cards and the paperwork to his therapist to take to his mom. He gave me a very small but sincere smile as they left.

The next day was our Back to School Giveaway! Hundreds of children and parents came to pick out new backpacks stuffed with everything from scientific calculators for the teens to crayons for the kindergartners. I had been outside checking kids in for over an hour and then there he was at the front of the line. With the crowd and the excitement I almost didn't recognize him, but he lingered just long enough staring at me out of the corner of his eye for me to make the connection and wish him luck in his quest for a bag. He nodded with purpose and made his way to the table of supplies for elementary school schildren.

When he was leaving he walked past me very slowly, looking up at me, twisting around to show me what he had picked out. I congratulated him and complimented him on his very cool choice, and that's when I finally got it - the big, ear-to-ear, two front teeth missing smile with laughing eyes and a sense of pride. back to school

The Back to School Giveaway on September 2, 2009, produced a lot of smiling faces, a lot of grateful parents, a lot of excited kids. Over 175, actually. That is how many backpacks we gave away. That is how many children – VIP clients, victims of abuse and neglect – you helped prepare for a year of hard work discovering the joys of learning. Some of them took their bags to the Education Center and proceeded to share with the other kids and happily trade green folders for yellow rulers. Others went into to see their therapist and spread out all their new treasures and explained what they could accomplish with each new tool. Every one of them spent the whole afternoon wearing their new backpacks with joy.

Thank you to everyone who purchased backpacks; rallied their neighbors, friends and family to hold drives to collect supplies; volunteered that day here at VIP; and gave their time and resources to send VIP kids back to school in style.