It was like Christmas at the Road Home for around 75 homeless and low-income schoolchildren who were outfitted with supplies and clothes Thursday to help ensure they are ready for school.
"We feel they have struggled with challenges that most of us have never faced, and they don't need to go to school feeling like they stick out," said Christie Hawkes, vice president of corporate communications for Educators Mutual, which put the project together.
The Educators Mutual Apple Tree program, a six-week-long campaign to collect new clothing and school supplies, resulted Thursday in the delivery of more than 2,000 items to school-age children living in the Road Home Shelter and affordable housing, who were recently homeless.
Hawkes said without the program most of the kids would start school with no supplies and worn clothing.
"Apple trees" were set up during July and August at Salt Lake-area businesses, and participants selected an apple that listed the name of a child living in the shelter or affordable housing and a needed back-to-school item. Each child had between five and six "apples."
So this week the children received full backpacks with shirts, pants and shoes, pencils, notebooks, folders and other supplies that were purchased by program participants.
"I got a Tinkerbell (backpack), my favorite," said Hanna, a first-grader. "Ooh, I got shoes, too."
The program is in its third year, and Hawkes said they nearly doubled the amount of clothing and supplies collected last year.
"Education is so important for these kids to break the cycle of poverty, and this gives the kids a foot up in that they are not uncomfortable at school ... it is gratifying to see these children get a small boost during a very trying time in their lives," Hawkes said.
"The opportunity to help in a small way is part of our commitment to making a difference for Utah educators and the students they serve," she said.
Educators Mutual Insurance Association is a nonprofit organization that serves the state's educators. Other sponsors of the program include Staples, Down East Outfitters, the Layton Hills Mall and FM 100.
E-mail: terickson@desnews.com