Dignity for Children

Posted on Jul 22, 2021 in HTLChronicles | 4420

HTLC Hosts 3rd Annual School Supplies Giveaway

No child wants to stand apart from their peers for what they do not have. Every child deserves to feel the support of their community.

Holy Trinity will hold our third annual School Supplies Giveaway on Monday, August, 9, 6-8 p.m. Hosted by the Missions/Outreach Team and supported by a grant from the Endowment Fund, $5,000 is allocated to buy K-5 school supplies. The items will be distributed in pre-packed bags and delivered drive-through-style in the parking lot in front of the new wing.

Linnea Hautman, Missions Team School Liaison, is leading the giveaway this year. “As a retired teacher, I really do not want to see any student in need or any student who stands apart because they do not have school supplies,” she told me over the phone.

Hautman recalls going through the garbage at the end of the school year when she was teaching to collect the unused pens, pencils, and notebooks. She then provided these items for her students in summer school so no one would be embarrassed to not have them. “I always tried to be sure there wasn’t a need. I wanted to make it so no one would have an issue.”

Where It Began

Our first Giveaway was in August 2019 BC (Before COVID). We filled a large room with volunteers and guests, all in close proximity and not a mask in sight. Seems so foreign now, doesn’t it? We had guests who were struggling with a job loss, the expense of healthcare, or the general upheaval of trying to make a life in a new country.

In order to keep guests and volunteers safe, we opted for a drive-through last year. (Watch that fun video here.)We were not able to interact as much, but this format had its benefits: it allowed the guests some privacy as they could stay in their cars.

Open to All

Aligned with Holy Trinity’s motto “All are welcome,” the Giveaway is again open to any family, not just those registered in the New Prague Area School District. While there are some experiencing a need in this area, there is greater need elsewhere.

The percentage of children eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, a benchmark often used to determine need in school, averages 11.87% among the three NPAS elementary schools. In surrounding communities, the number is as high as 40.4%, according to the Minnesota Department of Education pdf “Public School List with Percentage of Free and Reduced-Price Eligible Students.”

This open invitation is also important as consumer prices are rising in many sectors. One study by KPMG found many parents expect to pay more for school supplies this year, estimating close to $270 per child. For families who are already feeling the hardship of COVID, it is especially important that we are welcoming.

New Prague Tradition

This is not a new idea in New Prague. Many local businesses collect donations from the public and deliver them to the schools before the first day of school. Then, when kids arrive without enough pencils or folders, they are sent to the office to pick them up. In front of the other kids.

The current format was an idea by Amy Hennen, social worker at Falcon Ridge Elementary in New Prague. When I asked her several years ago how Holy Trinity could help the schools, she shared the process of getting school supplies to everyone. After watching how difficult it is for the kids to be singled out in this way, she knew it would be easier for them to walk into school with a full backpack. Just like the other children.

Missions Team member and retired elementary teacher, Sande Schoenecker, also appreciates this format. “I personally have seen the humble faces of students who have started the school year without their own supplies. I’ve listened to parents who shyly told me they hoped to be able to get supplies over the weekend or by the next week. Most often they couldn’t afford them. I was very grateful for donations given by our church directly to the school social workers, so I could have the supplies for those students. When we first discussed a school supply drive where families could receive supplies before school started, I was eager to help. This provides dignity for kids and parents!”

Fellow Missions Team member Liz Nelson is also excited to volunteer. “This event reaches out to the community and provides students with a positive beginning to the school year. It says Holy Trinity cares about students and their success!”

School Supply Donations Welcome

The congregation is welcome to contribute school supplies. A collection cart will be outside the sanctuary on Sunday mornings and in the office during the week. All donations need to be in by Wednesday, August 4. Please stick to the items requested commonly by the schools.

Written by Rose Fife, HTLC Communications Specialist

July 22, 2021