Written by Shuli Luo
Translated by H.B. Qin
Edited by Patrick McShane
With the summer vacation half over and the new school year just around the corner, Tzu Chi USA National Headquarters Region volunteers in central and western Los Angeles have made plans for children from families in need in the Alhambra School District. After consulting with the District’s Board of Education and learning about the needs of the children, volunteers went shopping and purchased school supplies for them.
Happily Back to School
The volunteers packaged school supplies into three different types of backpacks according to the needs of different school programs, from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Inside the backpacks are pencils, colored pencils, notepads, folders, and calculators, all of which are new and practical necessities needed in class. In addition, a $50 cash card was provided to each child so that parents could purchase shoes, socks, and other necessities for their children. In an era of inflation and high prices, it can be very difficult for families to purchase school uniforms and prepare school supplies, especially for families with many children. For every family, a $50 cash card is a considerable amount of money and a great help in a time of particular need.
This is Tzu Chi’s seventh year helping families in the Alhambra School District. This year, 250 students from kindergarten to high school in the district’s 19 schools the school administration identified as being most in need of assistance were helped through the efforts and donations of local Tzu Chi volunteers.
The distribution took place at Alhambra High School from 3 to 6 p.m. on August 2. Many parents brought their children to the site to receive the supplies. A total of 172 school supplies of all different types were distributed that day. When the children saw the backpacks filled with school supplies, they could not hide their joy. They knew they had more than enough stationery, they could study with peace of mind, and look forward to the upcoming start of the school year.
A Helping Hand
Lynn Hernandez is the new superintendent of the Alhambra School District. The day of the distribution coincided with her first day of office. She was touched to see the abundance of supplies that Tzu Chi had prepared for the children in the district. She said, “[Tzu Chi] prepares backpacks of school supplies for families in need, and each backpack is slightly different, depending on the age of the students. It is an honor to be able to witness and help the Tzu Chi Foundation (here) today.”
Natale Candry, a school teacher and mother of six, was happy to receive the gifts from Tzu Chi, saying, “We need help in these difficult times. I have six children, and when the price of shoes and uniforms goes up, it’s not easy. Even buying a shirt (for each child) costs almost 80 dollars per shirt, which is quite expensive. they are happy and excited (when receiving the gift from Tzu Chi).”
Jessica Carranza has come to pick up a back-to-school backpack for three years in a row, from her sophomore year to her senior year in high school. The cash card in particular has helped her a lot, she recalled, “During my sophomore year of high school, I relied on the cash card to buy snacks after school, so that I wouldn’t go hungry while waiting for the bus to get back home. This program helps a lot of low-income families, it not only provides uniforms but also unique surprises for the children in each family.”
Stacy Ruiz, who has three grown children of her own, took the plunge to adopt five siblings as she couldn’t bear the thought of the five children being fostered by different families. Some of the children had health problems, but she insisted on giving them all the love and care they needed. The five children are of different ages, one senior in high school and the rest in fifth grade, first grade, kindergarten, and preschool. Tzu Chi’s back-to-school backpack distribution has taken a lot of the burden off Stacy’s shoulders. Stacy shared, “I grew up in a loving home, and these kids (five foster children) deserve everything life gives them as well. To help and educate them, to guide them in a positive direction, and to make them self-sufficient are all that I aim at.”
Listening to the parents’ sincere thanks and watching the children eagerly open their backpacks to check the new school supplies inside, happily picking out their favorites, made the Tzu Chi volunteers feel that all the perseverance and hard work truly are worthwhile.
The children's smiles are the greatest encouragement to the volunteers.
