Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc.

By Judy Bokorney
Web Site Editor

Hispanic Services of Catholic Charities in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and LaBelle and the Haitian Center of Catholic Charities in Fort Myers will assist 1,000 needy school children through the 2003 Back to School program.

“We have twice as many children needing assistance this year than last year,” said Alina Navarro, volunteer coordinator for Catholic Charities of Lee County. “We are having to find new ways of raising money this year to meet the greater demands,” she said.

A garage sale was held at Hispanic Services of Catholic Charities in Fort Myers recently to benefit the program. Hundreds of people came out to the first annual event to support the Back to School program.

Catholic Charities is looking for donations of school supplies or money to purchase items to send the students back to school well prepared. Students will receive school supplies, underwear, socks, backpacks and new shoes. Estimated cost per child is $50.

The following is a list of items needed: backpacks, composition books, notebooks, spiral notebooks, loose leaf paper, pens, pencils, high-lighters, rulers, erasers, crayons, markers, scissors, glue sticks, white glue, two pocket and pronged folders, Kleenex, underclothes, shoes, clothes and socks.

Catholic Charities also is asking the business community for sponsorship: $15,000 will ensure total success for the program, $6,000 will buy 150 pairs of shoes, $3,000 will buy every backpack, $2,000 will buy underwear and socks, $1,000 will buy notebooks and loose leaf paper, and $200 will buy pens and pencils.

Anyone interested in supporting the Back to School program can contact Alina Navarro at Hispanic Services of Catholic Charities in Fort Myers at 239-337-4193. Donations can be dropped off at the office located at 4235 Michigan Ave. Link. 

Photo: Alina Navarro (left), volunteer coordinator for Catholic Charities of Lee County, and Susan Vasilev, public relations coordinator for Catholic Charities of Lee County, sponsored a garage sale recently to benefit the 2003 Back to School program. There will be twice as many children needing school supplies this year than last year and the program is looking for ways to meet the demand.