Kids don’t just love attention, they need it. Being listened to is one way a child develops a sense of her own value. At back-to-school time, when all 26 kids in Hephzibah’s Group Home are preparing to return to school, it can be challenging to get each one equipped and ready to go.
Oak Park Women’s Guild members help Hephzibah with this task by making sure that each child has the backpack of his or her choice. Members host a popsicle party in July and interview kids about their backpack preferences. It’s a great way to start kids thinking about their likes and dislikes, and what makes them unique as individuals.
A few weeks later, Guild members return with backpacks labeled with each child’s name. Some backpack requests such as Mutant Ninja Turtles are easy to find, while others may require an internet search. Guild members take delight in granting special wishes! Having just the right backpack gives kids a boost of confidence heading into the new school year.
“Members of the Women’s Guild are enthusiastic, nonjudgmental and magnificent!” said Mary Anne Brown, Hephzibah’s Executive Director. “We are so lucky to have them as supporters.”
Children who come to live at Hephzibah have been removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect; they range from 3 to 12 years of age. Women’s Guild members also act as personal shoppers to provide the clothes and shoes that each child needs when entering our Group Home. When children receive items that have been selected especially for them, they feel so special. We are grateful to the Oak Park Women’s Guild for supporting Hephzibah since 1999.
