shcisamax: Thank you for your kind words!

jdblfan: I echo Kitty's compliments to you. My heart hurt when I read your post. What can those who wish to help "your kids" do?

Kitty: Helping with organizers of a back pack/lunch program for Wildwood school children? You talk it, then you walk it! Awesome! Once a sincere, well-intentioned, warm-hearted, and caring person....

I'll repost Kathie's post.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...tml#post712037

There was a nice article in today's Daily Sun about the Wildwood Historical Association's Baker House project and the back-to-school fundraising project KathieI mentioned earlier.

Kitty,
All public school students in my county are provided free breakfast and 80% of those in my school are on free/reduced lunch. I run a program at my school that provides backpacks of food to our neediest students. Each week about 100 students and their families participate. Volunteers from a local church fill backpacks and drop them off on Fridays so we know the students have food over the weekend. We use backpacks so they just blend in with all the other students taking their backpacks home. This is something you may be interested in doing either as a club at The Villages or through a church group.

The event at the Baker House with school supply donations was suggested by the Development Svc Director (zoning) in WWD. She invited me to visit her office at city hall and to commission meetings. Good advice from GCM to start with networking and research.

WWD also has 80% on the govt lunch program.
Doug, great work you're doing. btw...Do you have a wholesaler for backpacks?
NY Warehouse
K.
ps thanks for the repost, BK. I was trying to do that, but only you knew how.

Also, to keep it fair and balanced: http://www.sumter.k12.fl.us/PDF/Pres...s-Scholars.pdf

If you read the press release, it will give you the names of some potential contact people and clubs who are already helping the Wildwood area children.

the Parrot Heads did a lot! I'm joining up...love Buffett anyway, esp. song Fruitcakes.
Jimmy Buffett - Fruitcakes - YouTube

Club
 

I would also like to join that club. Do you have info as to where to sign up?

Lots of great suggestions here.

Kitty I heard there is a school supply drive for foster kids in Lake and Sumter county in the regional rec centers. Not sure of the details so give one of them a call if you are interested in helping.

lots of great input in this thread. It always helps to remember that while it's great for people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, first they have to have boots! Supporting the schools around us is certainly a great way to do that.

Kitty, your energy and enthusiasm come sizzling through the computer. Good work, girl.

I so agree, barefoot.

Over 7300 views and counting...raising villager resident awareness of the difficulties faced by too many of our fellow county family, old and young.

http://www.thevillagesparrotheads.co...ckpack2013.gif

The Villages Parrotheads' application for membership: Membership

YES, IT'S TRUE. Donations of school supplies can be made to Regional Centers for the county in which it is located! tuvm for that info...
Kitty