Thunderbirds Charities awarded $25,000 to Back to School Clothing Drive in 2024 in support of the nonprofit’s “New Clothes = New Beginnings” program. As a direct result of the funding, about 4,000 Title I students in kindergarten through 6th grade will receive the things they need to start school happy, healthy, and prepared to learn.
Approximately 3,000 students were served over three full days in July at Grand Canyon University. More than 130 schools brought their students to a free shopping spree, where they selected new shirts, shorts, underwear, socks, sneakers, belts, and backpacks filled with school supplies. The students also received dental screening and a fluoride rinse, as well as a take-home oral care kit. Some older students participated in a STEM camp where they assembled a laptop they got to take home. All students selected two new books and two bookmarks from the book fair. The program served 600 students from military families at a similar event at Luke Air Force Base in June. The remaining 400 students will be serviced by the mobile component of the “New Clothes = New Beginnings” program over the course of the school year.
“Thunderbirds Charities is dedicated to issues that affect children and education, and we are incredibly grateful that they recognized the value of our effort,” said Karl Gentles, Executive Director of Back to School Clothing Drive. “Our program focuses on all aspects of school readiness. By giving low-income children the things they need – and that their peers have – we address the physical, emotional, and practical needs of this vulnerable population.”
As part of a partnership with the BHHS Legacy Foundation’s “Backpack Buddies” program, Back to School Clothing Drive also distributed an additional 7,500 backpacks filled with school supplies to various nonprofit and community groups throughout the community.
This grant is part of the Spring 2024 cycle. View a list of all Recent Grantees.