We are in the last few days until we wrap up the Backpack Drive which is dedicated to collecting school supplies to support students in Fredericton’s local community. The Backpack Drive will continue until Aug 31st, when we donate all supplies purchased to the Fredericton Boys and Girls Club. The drive is a great opportunity to give back to our community, and support schools that have been particularly badly struck by the Covid-19 outbreak.
Click here to view the details of our backpack drive.
We spoke with Karen MacAlpine, the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club Fredericton to learn more about the club and the organization’s operations.
BGC Greater Fredericton also known as the Boys & Girls Club of Fredericton is a charitable, community-supported organization founded in 1968.
Karen says they are “committed to transforming the lives of children, youth, and their families including those most vulnerable. We do this by providing safe places and offering services and programs designed to meet the evolving needs of our community.” She adds, “we want our children and youth to develop confidence, gain skills, and experience success so that they can reach their best potential in life. We believe that every single young person is important, and they deserve the chance to succeed.”
The club offers various programs and services like
- Summer Camp,
- After-school programs,
- virtual programming,
- Breakfast programs,
- Educational outreach including tutoring/mentoring,
- Preschool,
- Youth programming, and
- Intensive support services.
The club is a charitable, community-supported organization, therefore cash donations are eligible for a charitable tax receipt. Karen says donations can be made in-person, over the phone, or through our website. “We have an annual Champion of Dreams Campaign where individuals, businesses and service clubs, etc. can donate annually or monthly to help support programming. https://www.fbgc.ca/site/get-involved/donate/,” she says.
Donated funds are used to ensure the club can provide-
- Free programs and services to children, youth, and families that need them the most.
“Funds stay right here in our community and go right into the programs that need them the most,” says Karen.
Karen says the club will pass the supplies along to the children and youth who attend Club programs. “Some will use these supplies at school, while others will use them for their at-home ‘homework supplies’, and others will be able to access them during homework help and tutoring programs at the Club and take them home if needed.” She says “attending school and completing assignments, etc. can be stressful enough, this is increased when students don’t have the tools they need to succeed. If we can help ensure they have access to these resources, it may help to lighten the load and make the situation more equitable for these students.”
Digital World and Evergreen Traders have pre-assembled packs of school supplies in-store ready to be donated. Due to Covid-19, only monetary donations are acceptable which are being used to purchase school supplies that will be donated. There are 3 donation levels $2, $5, $10, however, every $10 or more you donate, you get a $10 OFF purchase plus a contest entry per $10 donation. Each ballot will be entered to win a pair of 14kt White Gold Solitaire Diamond Earrings with a total carat weight of 0.50. These earrings have a retail value of $279.99 in our showcase!
You can read the full conversation between Simran, and Karen below:
- Tell us about the club
BGC Greater Fredericton also known as the Boys & Girls Club of Fredericton is a charitable, community-supported organization founded in 1968.
We are committed to transforming the lives of children, youth, and their families including those most vulnerable. We do this by providing safe places and offering services and programs designed to meet the evolving needs of our community.
We want our children and youth to develop confidence, gain skills, and experience success so that they can reach their best potential in life. We believe that every single young person is important, and they deserve the chance to succeed.
- What are some of the programs and services offered by the club?
Summer Camp, After-school programs, virtual programming, Breakfast programs, Educational outreach including tutoring/mentoring, pre-school, youth programming, intensive support services.
- How do donations work? / How can donations be made?
Cash donations are eligible for a charitable tax receipt. Donations can be made in-person, over the phone, or through our website. We have an annual Champion of Dreams Campaign where individuals, businesses and service clubs, etc. can donate annually or monthly to help support programming. https://www.fbgc.ca/site/get-involved/donate/
- What are the funds used for?
Funds that are donated are used to ensure that we can provide free programs and services to children, youth, and families that need them the most. Funds stay right here in our community and go right into the programs that need them the most.
- ET and DW have launched a backpack drive that is dedicated to collecting school supplies to support students in Fredericton’s local community. What are your views? How are you going to use the school supplies?
We congratulate ET & DW on their efforts to collect school supplies. This is a wonderful way to get involved and ask their patrons to help. We will pass these supplies along to the children and youth who attend Club programs. Some will use these supplies at school, while others will use them for their at-home ‘homework supplies’, and others will be able to access them during homework help and tutoring programs at the Club and take them home if needed. Attending school and completing assignments etc. can be stressful enough, this is increased when students don’t have the tools they need to succeed. If we can help ensure they have access to these resources, it may help to lighten the load and make the situation more equitable for these students. Thanks to ET & DW and their customers for taking on this task!
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