Incoming students at Nazareth University spent part of their orientation helping children get ready for school. At Rochester's Moving Forward Family Shelter, they counted supplies, organized backpacks, and guided families through a back-to-school event.
The event was organized by Volunteers of America. With help from individual donors and foundation support, the organization collected and distributed more than 300 backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies to children in its emergency family shelters and housing programs.
Children were able to choose their own backpacks and supplies, giving them a chance to feel prepared alongside their classmates. For parents facing the costs of a new school year, the donated supplies also lifted a real financial burden.
The students came away with a lesson in civic life before their first college lecture. The families received something just as important: a welcoming start and a little more normalcy during a difficult season.
