The annual Each One, Reach One School Drive, organized by the Gina Spence Productions charity, is officially underway, with organizers appealing to the community to help provide much-needed assistance to 500 students ahead of the new school year.
Speaking with TNN’s Trevor Lindsay, Ms. Gina Spence-Virgil said the response to this year’s campaign has already been overwhelming. She says families began contacting the organization as early as May to ask whether the drive would return this year — a clear indication, she says, of the growing need within the community.
The campaign launched one week ago with a fundraising target of $80,000. To date, $38,455.59 has already been raised, leaving $41,544.41 still needed to reach the goal.
Spence-Virgil says the target could be met if just 277 people each donated $150.
But she stressed that the need goes far beyond school uniforms and supplies.
The organization is seeing families affected by home displacement, divorce, separation, serious illness and other forms of loss — circumstances that can have a significant emotional impact on children.
Spence-Virgil explained that some children may have ended the previous school year with both parents, only to return to school following the death of a parent or another major family change.
She says the school uniform may be what initially brings a family through the doors, but once parents share what they are experiencing, the organization is often able to provide emotional support and assistance as well.
The campaign is also accepting gently used school clothing. Families with uniforms their children have outgrown are encouraged to donate them at Gibbons in the Children’s Department, where the items can be redistributed to children in need.
Parents and guardians seeking assistance can register their children online at gspcharity.com or contact the organization at 296-0016.
Spence-Virgil says there is consistently a waiting list of children who need assistance even after the official campaign ends, making the community’s support especially important.
With more than $38,000 already raised in the first week, organizers are now appealing to the public to help close the remaining $41,544.41 gap and ensure that 500 Bermuda students are equipped to return to school with dignity and confidence.
Any content which is considered unsuitable, unlawful, or offensive, includes personal details, advertises or promotes products, services or websites, or repeats previous comments will be removed.
User comments posted on this website are solely the views and opinions of the comment writer and are not a representation of or reflection of the opinions of TNN or its staff.
TNN reserves the right to remove, edit or censor any comments.
TNN accepts no liability and will not be held accountable for the comments made by users.