Donations to help students and families amid record-high inflation
Just in the nick of time, donors contributed new backpacks and school supplies for more than 1,000 students in Hartford and surrounding communities through a back-to-school drive hosted by The Village for Families & Children.
Getting the necessary school supplies before the first day of school was a significant challenge for many local families as inflation rates hit a record high this summer. On average, shoppers were expected to spend $168 more on school supplies this year compared to pre-pandemic rates in 2019.
“When children have the tools to learn and feel good about themselves, they’re in a better place to thrive and succeed,” said Village President & CEO Galo Rodriguez. “By helping families access what they need for the school year, they don’t have to make a decision between school supplies or food. We’re very grateful to our community, and our partners at Staples, who helped make this possible.”
The Village runs a preschool, after-school programs, partners with eight Hartford Public Schools and offers more than 40 programs to help children and teens succeed and support healthy development of their families. Supplies were provided to children in these programs.
