By Richard Smith
By Marge Clark
Special to Independent Newsmedia
Valley View Community Food Bank will again help children return to school ready to learn.
Children are invited to the food bank warehouse, 12321 W. Grand Avenue, El Mirage for a free haircut and backpacks filled with school supplies 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, July 29.
Valley View Community Food Bank was originally located in Youngtown then Sun City before moving to El Mirage when its Sun City building was no longer available.
Michelle Gillespie, the VVCFB staff member who organized the back to school event for many years, died this spring. In Ms. Gillespie’s memory, staff and volunteers hope to make Back to School Day bigger and better than ever. Stylists from Bella Voi, 12211 W. Bell Road, and Salon Chic, 1375 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear, will be doing haircuts. The Phoenix Suns Charities contributed $5,000 for supplies.
Characters from Heros United and the Justice League of Arizona, as well as the Peoria Firefighters, will be there. Each child will also receive a book from “Kids Need to Read.” The Phoenix Suns were invited to send a player to meet the children.
To make this the biggest event ever, VVCFB needs additional help from the community. Needed are new backpacks, binders (all sizes), crayon, colored pencils and markers, paper (wide and college ruled), No. 2 pencils, ink pens (blue and black), pencil boxes, spiral notebooks (one-,three- and five-Subject), scissors, highlighters and rulers.
Donations can be dropped off at VVCFB’s pantries at 12321 W. Grand Ave., El Mirage or 9849 N. 105th Ave., Sun City (Sun City location is open 9 a.m.-noon Monday-Thursday). VVCFB’s thrift stores also welcome donations. Deliver items to 13576 W. Camino del Sol Dr., Sun City West or 15462 W. 99th Ave., Sun City. Large donations can be picked up.
To volunteer to help with the event or to arrange for a pick up, call 602-600-9075.
Donations of cash or gift cards will be used to buy additional supplies and can be mailed to VVCFB, PO Box 523, Youngtown, AZ 85363.
Editor’s Note: Ms. Clark is a VVCFB board member.
