Thank you CVC for helping over 180 children!

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Photo by Fred Ortoli

Valley United Way’s Corporate Volunteer Council, CVC, has clothed more than 180 children at  Mead School in Ansonia, the Spooner House and the Parent Child Resource Center as their 11^th annual "Back to School Clothes for Kids" school project. The goal of this project is to provide clothing for underprivileged children at the beginning of the school year.

Amy Merriam and Maria Nicolia of The Hartford Corporation co-chaired this year’s project and also organized a "Luau" party for the students. Amy and Maria have served as co-chairs for the past three years.

The CVC began this project in response to date that indicates that many children miss the first few days of school because they do not have new outfits to wear while many of their classmates do. Corporate Volunteer Council members believe that by providing Valley children with clothes and school supplies they will encourage students to do their best, receive a boost in their self-esteem, provide a successful start for the new academic year and show how the CVC cares.

Corporate sponsors eagerly prepared for this favorite project. This year each child received two new complete outfits, socks, underwear, sneakers, a winter coat, a backpack filled with school supplies and a huge "have a great year wish" from the Valley company who adopted them.

Children were greeted by members of the Council with cookies and lemonade donated by Dave Grant Caterer’s. Big Y provided ice cream and Enterprise Rent A Car brought along their popcorn machine! Each student also received a water bottle courtesy of The Hartford, and pens from Bic. Just A Buck provided balloons, and members of Valley United Way's Youth Leadership program helped with the decorating and logistics all afternoon.

In the past eleven years, the Corporate Volunteer Council has outfitted approximately 1095 Valley children. Companies have generously spent a total of $210,325. The Council is proud to play a vital role in boosting self-esteem and confidence by helping children to look and feel their best when they attend school, which has a proven positive effect on educational performance.

Among the companies that have participated in this year's program are:

Thank you CVC for making this amazing project a reality.

Back to Volunteer Action Center                               Valley United Way

For more information on the Corporate Volunteer Council and all volunteer opportunities, please contact the Volunteer Action Center at 926-9478. The Center can also be reached by E-Mail by clicking here. 

Revised: August 25, 2006.
Copyright © 2006 by Valley United Way.
All trademarks or product names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.