DETROIT (WXYZ) — Hundreds of volunteers helped put a Detroit Back-2-School event together this weekend. When it started in 2014, this back-to-school store served 100 Detroit kids. Today, that number has soared to 900.
Watch Evan's report in the video player below
There was no shortage of volunteers Sunday at Cesar Chavez Academy Upper Elementary.
“We're having a back 2 school store for 300 children," said Lauren Koenigsberg, the Vice President of the National Council of Jewish Women Michigann (NJCW).
These are children that, Koenigsberg said, might otherwise not have this kind of access.
NJCW spent the last year raising funds to put this Back-2-School store together.
“I was a teacher in Detroit for 35 years, so I'm well aware of the life these children lead,” Koenigsberg said.
Koenigsberg says the goal of this drive is give children of low-income families a sense of independence.
“Many of these children never get to shop, their parents bring home clothes for them many times its second-hand clothes," Koenigsberg said.
“They give us pencils, colors, erasers," said fifth grader Christopher Garcia-Torres.
Besides those essential supplies, the 12-year-old also grabbed a new jacket.
“My jackets are broken from the pockets, I can’t put nothing in there," Christopher said.
From clothes to books, everything is new. This is high-quality stuff too.
“Everything is brand new. We have been fundraising for a year to raise the money for this it costs us about 180 dollars a child," Koenigsberg said.
Christopher's Mom was especially excited to have an answer for her son.
“Very good for the kids because he always where, when I have to work for my stuff," said Karla Garcia-Torres.
And for Koenigsberg, who taught in this city for 30 years, the store is an answer to how she wanted to spend her post-teaching career.
“I've always felt in my heart I’ve wanted to give back, and I feel so good about being able to do this and being able to do this for the people of Detroit," Koenigsberg said.
300 kids got to choose what they wanted at this year's back-2-school event, NCJW tell me the work continues this upcoming week, with another 600 Detroit children getting served with the help of social service agencies.
