Equipped 4 Success Partnership in Full Bloom

by jill

Since 2012, AEF has taken the lead on the Equipped 4 Success school supply drive, working with community partners to identify students in need, fundraise, and distribute new backpacks filled with quality, grade level appropriate school supplies to kindergarten through 12th graders throughout our community. This year we supported over 900 youth. Since 2012, we have supported close to 7,000 students!

Thank you to the many organizations, businesses, and community members who support this drive. Grants were received from the Alameda Community Foundation, Alameda Welfare Council, Kiwanis Club of Alameda, Rotary Club of Alameda, and Windermere Foundation. Alameda South Shore was again a strong community partner: beverage sales from their Summer Beats concerts benefited the drive and they provided space for sorting and packing the backpacks. Thank you to Alameda Island Brewing Company for the brew that was so popular at these concerts! Thank you to JanSport and the Family Giving Tree for donating backpacks. Bank of Marin sponsored the drive with their annual “Shred Day” and made a generous donation.

AEC Living purchased backpacks and supplies for 100 kindergarten – 1st grade student,s and their residents at Elders Inn and The Lodge enjoyed preparing them for the younger generation. The Alameda Chapter of the Bay East Association of Realtors shopped, collected and donated to support dozens of older students.

Community members from Alameda – and across California – supported the drive through generous donations of funds and supplies. Thank you to the Alameda Firefighters for hosting collection bins for supply donations. The Alameda Peeps rallied to support the cause. Many thanks to faith communities and social service organizations that provided volunteers, raised funds, and donated items.

AEF works with its community partners to identify students in need, including the AUSD McKinney-Vento program for homeless families, Alameda Point Collaborative, Alameda Boys & Girls Club, Woodstock Child Development Center, DreamCatchers Youth Services, Girls Inc. of the Island City, and Operation Dignity. Each of these organizations then distributes to the students they serve. Over at the Alameda Point Collaborative, it’s become a full-scale party! Students shopped for their backpacks, police and firefighters came by to hang out, Girl Scout Troop 33064 organized games, My New Red Shoes handed out new shoes, Vision to Learn provided eye exams and glasses, and the Breath Mobile did asthma screenings while Calvary Church provided lunch and Cakes 4 Kids provided dessert.

And it all started with backpacks…and you. Thank you for supporting the Equipped 4 Success school supply drive and creating the partnerships and collaborations that have bloomed into helping our students in so many aspects of their lives.