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Give 'em a Boost
Community Outreach Provides Back-to-School Shopping Spree for Davenport Elementary Students
Posted on 08/25/2017
This is the image for the news article titled Community Outreach Provides Back-to-School Shopping Spree for Davenport Elementary StudentsBack-to-school is an exciting time of year when students and parents are gearing up to head back to the classroom, but for many, the cost of school supplies and new clothing is out of reach. That’s where a generous organization stepped up for the third year to give students at Deanna Davenport Elementary a boost as they headed back to school this fall. A community service project partnership between Canutillo ISD, St. Francis on the Hill Episcopal Church, and Walmart provided a shopping spree for new school clothing and school supplies.

Give ‘em a Boost is an outreach program targeted to the Westway community in northwest El Paso County where about 44% of children under the age of eighteen live below the poverty level. Children from these families received $70 to purchase essential new clothing, shoes, dresses, shirts, pants, school uniforms as well as school supplies.

“Our church was looking for an outreach opportunity,” program organizer A.C. Sanders, III said. “We found that there is quite a bit of need in Westway.”

This was the third year that the organization has assisted Davenport students and the number of students impacted continues to climb. This year, 150 children received assistance. That is up from 120 last year and 50 the first year. The outreach is funded by many individuals who make small and large donations. Walmart gave a 10% discount on all student purchases while Canutillo ISD provided the transportation for the trip.

“There is an old saying,” Sanders continued. “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.”