PHOENIX — Some Valley students will head back to school in less than a month, and efforts are already underway to help kids in need get their school year off to a good start.
It can cost Valley families hundreds of dollars to send their kids back to school, that's why the Chandler Fashion Center is collecting everything from backpacks to pencils in a big school bus outside their food court.
"We're asking folks to come by when they can and drop off any new school supplies or backpacks," said Korenna Wilson, who is helping run the Fulton Homes “Stuff the Bus” event.
The goal is to collect 300 backpacks to help all the kids with Save the Family Foundation of Arizona, including Evelyn and Violet.
"They love to draw, they love to dance," said their Mom Sarah Summers. "Save the Family has been amazing. They have helped us so much. We were homeless last year."
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Now, Summers and her kids are living in a house and on the way to getting back on their feet. Assistance with the cost of school supplies would provide a great extra helping hand up.
"Thank you for thinking about us and all the other kids that need help. We're not the only ones; there's a lot of other families that need help," Summers said.
If you are one of the first 50 people to donate next Saturday, June 28, like Savannah Parisie, you can get a free envelope full of gift cards and deals.
"I used to teach, so I love being able to give back," Parisie said.
"$10 to JD Sports in here, $10 to PF Changs, Appetizers to Mexicano, free cookies, free frozen custard, pizza from Spinets! We have it all," said Dana Schiemann from Chandler Fashion Center.
The bus will be outside the mall food court until July 6. You can stop by anytime the mall is open to donate.
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