Editorial
Front Page - Friday, July 23, 2010
Nehemiah Project seeking volunteers for Backpack Project 2010
David Laprad
The Nehemiah Project is working to give 3,500 students at seven inner-city elementary schools in Hamilton County many of the basic supplies they will need for school and a new backpack in which to carry them. Donations can be made via checks payable to The Nehemiah Project and mailed to P.O. Box 25351, Chattanooga, Tenn., 37422.
- David Laprad
There was a time when elementary school teachers would send their students home with a list of supplies they would need for class. From paper, to pencils, to a ruler, it contained only the essentials. Over time, the list has grown in size to incorporate dozens of items, making it considerably more expensive than it used to be.
This can create a financial hardship for low-income families, especially when broader economic issues are already giving added weight to each purchase a person makes. To address this challenge, The Nehemiah Project is working to give 3,500 students at seven inner-city elementary schools in Hamilton County many of the basic supplies they will need for school and a new backpack in which to carry them.
To meet its goal for what it is calling The Backpack Project, the organization is seeking help in the form of donations and distribution volunteers. Beth Trussell, executive director, says a small contribution can make a big difference. “It costs us $10 to purchase and fill a backpack. This can give a child the confidence that comes with having the right tools,” she says.
Trussell says the cost of the items when purchased separately would be about $45, but The Nehemiah Project is able to save money by purchasing supplies in bulk.
Many of the kids who will be receiving a backpack are accustomed to getting by on less, Trussell says, as most of them come from low-income families. The schools to which The Nehemiah Project will be donating backpacks include Bess T. Shepherd, Calvin Donaldson, Clifton Hills, East Side Elementary, East Lake Elementary, Orchard Knob and Woodmore.
Like some of the kids it will benefit, The Backpack Project is 10-years-old this year. David Parker, owner of Covenant Transport, started The Nehemiah Project in order to serve his community. He based the project on the character of Nehemiah from the Bible, who looked over the ruins of a city and asked its king, “How can we fix this?”
Trussell said the Old Testament prophet came up with a plan that worked. “Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of the city using the rubble; he protected the city using what was broken. That’s what we should be doing. There are things in Chattanooga that are broken, and if we use them, we’ll be able to strengthen our city,” she says.
As a first step, the members of The Nehemiah Project met with churches, businesses and various community leaders, and asked them what the organization could do to serve the Chattanooga area. When the answer was “backpacks,” The Nehemiah Project dove right in.
“The first year, 800 volunteers packed 5,000 backpacks and delivered them to 10 inner-city school,” Trussell says.
The organization has learned a few lessons since then. For example, to avoid jealousy, all of the backpacks contain the same items. Also, because of concerns about weapons and gang colors, all of the backpacks are clear and have black trim.
“Our second year, we couldn’t get enough backpacks with black trim, so we had some blue ones and some red ones, which are gang colors. Some of the children didn’t take a backpack because they were the wrong color for their neighborhood,” Trussell says.
While donations for individual backpacks are needed, Trussell says she hopes businesses will consider sponsoring an entire class. Also, she’s looking for people to help pack the backpacks. Volunteers are needed August 7 at 9 a.m. at Abba’s House and Mount Canaan Baptist Church.
Donations can be made via checks payable to The Nehemiah Project and mailed to P.O. Box 25351, Chattanooga, Tenn., 37422.
“With just a few weeks until school bells ring in Hamilton County, parents are scrambling to find a way to provide the basic supplies their children will need. It’s our hope to relieve their anxiety,” she says.
In addition to its youth programs, The Nehemiah Project runs a summer outreach program that draws more than 800 volunteers to Chattanooga’s inner-city neighborhoods to assist the elderly with much-needed home repairs. Through a partnership with Chattanooga Neighborhood Services, World Changers Outreach, The City of Chattanooga and many area churches, volunteers spend two weeks helping those in need.
Through a partnership with local churches and the United Way, the organization also helps urban communities fight illiteracy. By providing volunteers, support, and supplies, The Nehemiah Project has launched Neighborhood Readings Centers, where people can read or learn to read, in five urban communities.
Trussell encourages people in Chattanooga to “be the change they want to see,” and to start by donating their time or money to The Backpack Project. “It doesn’t take much, but with your gift, change can come for our children and, ultimately, our city,” she says.
|
|