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Published Saturday, August 12, 2000, in the Miami Herald
School supplies donated Backpacks, books, tablets for needy kids
BY GRIFF WITTE gwitte@herald.com
Trunks popped open, car doors swung wide and, within seconds, a dozen looks of curious anticipation transformed into expressions of delight at newfound treasure.
Inside a caravan of vehicles making the rounds at Broward Broward County dropoff points, were backpacks, books, pens, paper, stickers and kazoos -- in other words, all the essentials for back-to-school.
The items were being given away by Kids 4 Kids, an organization trying to ensure that all South Florida children have the supplies they need when schools reopen later this month, even if their parents can't afford them. In all, 550 backpacks were distributed to homeless or abused Broward County children Friday.
The giveaway marked the start of the 2000 Fill-A-Backpack Campaign. By the end of the month, about 4,000 backpacks will be delivered throughout the region, 3,000 of which will be given to children in Miami-Dade County Aug. 19-20 and Aug. 26-27. The other 500 will go to children in Palm Beach County.
Glenn Olson's kids received three of the first backpacks to be handed out Friday.
``I'm a single parent with three children and it's hard to make the ends meet on a single income. If it weren't for these guys, my kids wouldn't have backpacks,'' said Olson as he stood outside the Salvation Army building in Fort Lauderdale yesterday. ``They might go back to school with a pencil, but that's it. On a single income, we don't get any luxuries.''
Kids 4 Kids president Beth Davis said she has been doing the giveaway for four years in memory of her grandfather. ``My grandfather was homeless when he came here from Russia and someone helped him,'' Davis said.
She also does it, she said, because of what she sees on a daily basis as a Miami-Dade public school teacher. ``From the first day, you know who has and who does not,'' Davis said. ``Not only do the teachers know, but the kids know as well. And, unfortunately, kids can be cruel. These kids don't need to be labeled as homeless on the first day.''
Although the backpack distribution served as another reminder that summer vacation is nearing an end, most of the kids who received the packs didn't seem to mind. Instead, they were focused on all their new stuff.
``I love it because it has everything I need -- colored pencils, notebooks and a yellow piggy bank,'' said a beaming 12-year-old John Dorcinville.
The backpacks and supplies were available because of donations from corporate sponsors, including Union Bank, CBS 4 and The Herald. Private donors also contributed to the program's $50,000 budget.
In addition to making a difference in terms of the experience that kids have at school this year, the program is also intended to benefit families by helping them make a permanent difference in their quality of life.
``What this means is an extra $25 or so that they can budget into living independently,'' said Karen Wood, the director of Hesed, a transitional facility in Dania Beach for abused women. ``Every penny helps because every bit of money they have goes into buying the essentials.''