Cradles to Crayons Set to Prepare 30,000 Students for the New School Year with Its Ready for School Program

Cradles to Crayons Set to Prepare 30,000 Students for
the New School Year with Its Ready for School Program

Organization seeks donations to prepare kids to learn – from head to toe

(Philadelphia, PA - August 24, 2017)- Cradles to Crayons®, a nonprofit organization that equips children
from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with the essential items they need
to thrive, commences its Ready for School initiative, a program aiming to ensure that children enter the
school year confident and excited to learn.

Although students are in the midst of summer vacation, Cradles to Crayons (C2C®) is one step ahead and
preparing children for the new school year. Since 2006, C2C’s Ready for School program has worked to
help level the playing field for all children by providing essential items needed to start school on the
right foot. This year’s program, which runs through September 30th, aims to serve 30,000 children and
prepare them from head to toe. The program will distribute backpacks filled with new, age-appropriate
school supplies as well as customized KidPacks complete with clothing, shoes, and more.

There are currently more than 300,000 children in need in Philadelphia. Philadelphia has the highest
rate of deep poverty (12.3%) in the nation. Entering the school year without the supplies needed to
succeed can be a significant developmental setback. Basic essentials like backpacks, school supplies,
shoes, and clothing are critical tools that help developing children turn curiosity and creativity into
knowledge and success. These resources also alleviate stress from struggling parents and allow them to
direct money to food, rent, and other necessities.

“We all remember how good it felt, and the excitement of having a brand new backpack filled with fresh
school supplies.” said Michal Smith, Executive Director of Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia. “Children
living in poverty already start school two or more grades behind their more advantaged peers, and if a
child is uncomfortable about their appearance or lack of supplies, they are unable to focus on
schoolwork. We want to make sure these students are well prepared and confident so they can excel in
and out of the classroom. For these children, a backpack isn’t just a backpack, it is a launching pad.”

“One of the families we serve at Parkside Association of Philadelphia has a young girl entering
kindergarten and a boy entering 1st grade. To see their faces light up from the nice, new shining
backpack made all the difference,” said Lucinda Hudson, Parkside Association of Philadelphia. “The
family lives below the poverty line and do not have very much in terms of new things; and there are two
other siblings younger than they are. It was such a feeling of joy to see those two kids be excited about
going to school with their new backpacks and all the new stuff inside.”

About Cradles to Crayons
Cradles to Crayons launched in 2002 and has operations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The
nonprofit provides children from birth through age 12 living in homeless or low-income situations with
the essential items they need to thrive—at home, at school, and at play. They supply these items free of
charge by engaging and connecting communities that have with communities that need. Cradles to
Crayons mobilizes communities of plenty on behalf of communities of need, recycling and reusing highquality
children’s goods and engaging thousands of youth and adults in tangible service activities each
year that benefit local children. For more information, please visit
https://cradlestocrayons.org/philadelphia/.

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Media Contact:

Regan Communications Group

Katelyn O’Sullivan/ David Salkovitz

kosullivan@regancomm.com/ dsalkovitz@regancomm.com

617-488-2894/ 617-488-2838