Allstate helps to pack up smiles

For the past three years the local PackSack Smiles Organization has helped school-aged children from less fortunate families start the school year off on the right foot with new backpacks full of essentials.

The volunteer group, which has been fundraising since February and relies on community support for donations of goods and money to help kids, recently received a $1000 donation from Allstate Insurance on Lakeshore Drive.

“They have a program called the trusted community program and what it is agents that are involved with not for profit organizations and volunteer a certain amount of time throughout the year they recognise those agents and provide them with some type of donation that they can put towards their organisation,” states Tarian Shortt Allstate representative and PackSac School Liaison.

Chairperson for Packsac Smiles Organization Darlene Trip says the funds will go a long way to help support this year’s program.

“It certainly makes us a lot closer to our goal because we have a goal of supporting a hundred children this year. So it certainly makes our fundraising effort that little bit easier but of course we still need more community support,” explains Trip.

“We certainly want to thank Allstate for their contribution to PackSac Smiles this year.”

Trip explains that the group works with school principals to identify kids who would benefit and started out with only 14 children in the first year but word traveled and the program has grown substantially because the need is there.

“We’ve really started to see the impact of our organization because we are starting to receive thank you notes and letters and pictures of kids and families so we can really see the program impacting the kids self esteem and just their being excited about returning to school.”

The backpacks include new shoes, some clothing, a lunch pack, book, a variety of school supplies and cost about $130 per pack.

Tripp says there are a couple ways people can help out, folks can make a financial donation or receive a list of the items and purchase them themselves to donate. For more information or to make a donation contact Darlene at [email protected].