Back to School Can Stir Up Many Emotions
A new school year can bring about many emotions. For parents with kids entering kindergarten or their senior year of high school, the first day of school tends to be showcased on social media as a happy and exciting time. What you may not see though, are the extra hours a parent had to put in at work to get their kid a new backpack, or that the youngest of 4 kids is using her oldest sister’s school supplies from last year because the parents couldn’t afford to get all new ones.
Fresh Start for Kids Each Year
What is supposed to be a fresh start to a new year, can mean stress to their families. For this reason, BlueGrace Logistics has partnered with Metropolitan Ministries for the last 6 years, to collect school supplies for “Backpacks of Hope.”
The average cost of school supplies exceeds $600
The average spend on school supplies exceeds $600 and this expenditure can be a huge struggle for many families, and BlueGrace Logistics wants to help in our communities.
It’s All About the Kids
According to the National Center for Education Statistics “In 2015, approximately 14.7 million children under age 18 were in families living in poverty.”
BlueGrace Logistics has regional offices in Boston, Baltimore, Richmond, L.A. and Chicago with additional branch offices scattered throughout the United States. Most BG offices seek out local charities and generate fundraisers around their specific initiatives.
BlueGrace Chicago has partnered with the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center to raise school supplies for children.
“Our donations only help a fraction of the kids in need throughout the world, but we find hope in the fact that if enough people or organizations like ours, are willing to work together for such a great cause, that number can become much larger,” said Joannah Kalisz, Account Executive, BlueGrace Chicago.
Metropolitan Ministries
Metropolitan Ministries of Tampa Bay, provides backpacks, uniforms, and school supplies to more than 250 children in their care and more than 2,200 in the community at large. All donations help ensure that every child is prepared for the school year.
A backpack carries more than just school supplies.
“Drives like this with Metropolitan Ministries, mean so much to our organization as we have a huge place in our hearts for children and want to make a difference in their lives. Most of our efforts throughout the year focus around children and animals because they are the most vulnerable and don’t always have a voice.“ said Whitney McKay, Marketing & Brand Manager.
See What BlueGrace has to Say about Backpacks Of Hope
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Caring for All Others | It’s What We Do
Core Value number 1 at BlueGrace is Be Caring of All Others and Backpacks of Hope is just one of the many ways we can express that core value. We believe our people make the difference and we strive to create an environment where our employees truly feel like family and feel the urge to help others.
“We understand that when you’re excited about the company you work for and feel like you’re part of a purpose, you’ll inevitably be more fun to work with, loyal and highly effective in your role,” says Whitney McKay, Marketing & Brand Manager at BlueGrace. “Since day one of my six years at BlueGrace there’s been something organic and genuine about our culture. It doesn’t matter how much we grow, you just can’t get the same experience anywhere else.”
We strive to create an environment where our employees truly feel like family and feel the urge to help others.
“Giving back to the community gives us a purpose, it’s a huge part of who we are as an organization. Being caring is engrained in our company culture,” said Courtney Smith, Culture & Engagement Manager at BlueGrace Logistics. “It’s easy to keep the culture alive when you have a core foundation like Bobby has created.”
Do you want to help?
If you feel the desire to help, no matter how small, please reach out to the organizations below to donate your time, money or supplies.
Metropolitan Ministries – Outreach Center
Tampa, Florida
2301 North Tampa Street
Tampa, FL 33602
813.209.1200
Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center
1240 S. Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
312.492.3700