LYNCHBURG — It’s the time of year when newspapers are heavy with back-to-school sales flyers and parents are found wandering the aisles of stores with school supply lists in hand. Getting children ready for school means finding each item on their list, including clothes and shoes that fit and the all important backpack. A time of year that low-income families find challenging as the added expense of preparing children to return to school is difficult.
For the past 17 years, under the leadership of its WMU, the Lynchburg Baptist Association has sponsored Klothes 4 Kids to provide affordable back-to-school clothing for students at area schools. This year the event was held Aug. 13-15 and 447 children from 213 families — the largest number ever — participated in this ministry.
Each spring the association contacts teachers at surrounding city and county public schools. Teachers recommend children who would benefit from the program and submit forms to the school’s guidance counselor. Several public service agencies also submit recommendations.
Invitations to attend the sale are mailed to parents at the end of July. In order to participate, parents are required to make an appointment to shop. This is necessary to avoid crowds and allow associational volunteers to assist each family.
This year 17 schools and agencies recommended families to select clothing and supplies at Klothes 4 Kids. The cost is $5.00 per child for two shirts, two pairs of jeans, underwear and socks plus school supplies and a backpack. All items are brand new and the smile on the faces of the children receiving new clothes for school is priceless.
At check-out, volunteers add Christian literature to each bag. This year families also received a bag of healthy snacks from the local Extension Service. Over 500 bags of snacks were distributed.
Lynchburg Baptist Association churches partner to make the yearly Klothes 4 Kids ministry a reality. Each church is assigned a specific size and sex of clothing for the sale. Individual church members purchase items and clothing drop-off is several days prior to the sale.
“It’s all about volunteers,” says Elizabeth Harris, administrative secretary for Lynchburg Association and coordinator of Klothes 4 Kids. Churches provide a multitude of volunteers for many tasks. Volunteers answer the phone as parents call to schedule appointments. They sort and hang clothing for display. Volunteers work on sale days to assist families choosing clothes and checking-out.
At the conclusion of the sale, volunteers inventory all items not taken and pack them in boxes for storage for the next year. Some of the most welcome volunteers on those days, says Harris, are youth groups able lift heavy boxes and take them to storage. Then there are volunteers who clean-up. About 125 people played a vital role in making this year’s to Klothes 4 Kids a success.
While the sale lasts for three days, shopping for Klothes 4 Kids is a year-round project. With the proceeds from the sale, monies received through the Lynchburg Baptist Association and individual donations to the Klothes 4 Kids Fund, Elizabeth Harris and Sue Rosser are always shopping for children’s clothes. Elizabeth shops for the girls and Sue shops for the boys. If there’s a sale nearby, they’ll check it out.
“Shopping is a talent that you can use for the Lord,” says Harris. She’s even been known to shop for kids clothes while away on vacation. Due to the large number of children served this year, the inventory of children’s clothes will need to be rebuilt. So there’s more shopping to be done.
“It’s a wonderful ministry and I feel good now that I’ve retired to do this with Elizabeth,” Sue says. “I enjoy working with so many volunteers.”
The members of First Baptist Church in Monroe provide the backpacks the children receive. This year 371 backpacks were there on sale day — and every one was taken. Ellen Hopkins, a member of First Baptist, says some at the church call her the “backpack lady.” She and her sisters are always on the lookout for bargains. The best prices are available after children have returned to school and stores discount them, she says. She’s purchased backpacks that sold for as much as $25.00 for $5.00 or $6.00. Each spring the church promotes Klothes 4 Kids and members donate to pay for the backpacks.
The youth group at First Baptist, Monroe, plays a big part in this ministry. On sale day the youth stuff backpacks with school supplies according to grades and assist students in selecting the one they like best. They look forward to this mission project each year. When one youth found out that his family had planned vacation for the week of the sale, he told his parents that he couldn’t go because he didn’t want to miss helping at Klothes 4 Kids.
As children return to school this month, many in the Lynchburg area will have clothes and backpacks given in love by churches and individuals in the association. It’s a means of bringing the light of Christ into the lives of those who at times struggle to find light. It has brightened the lives of 5,548 children during the past 17 years. May God’s light continue to shine as preparations begin for 2010.
Barbara Francis is on the staff of the Religious Herald.