Back to School
When you think about going back to school, you may think of the fresh, new school supplies your parents just drove all over town to purchase. Or the jitters of excitement the day before the first day of school as you anxiously anticipate wearing your new clothes, all laid out and ready to go. Or even walking into school and greeting your friends with smiles and hugs after a long summer break.
But what about… the single mom with three kiddos, all with different supply lists that turns the fun day back to school shopping into a chore with a deadline?
Or the fluorescent lights at Walmart trigger a meltdown for the kiddo with sensory needs? What about the overwhelming choices of colors, patterns and characters on the 2 pocket folders that cause an anxiety attack? What about the disarray of picked over supplies that causes panic in a caregiver who fears not finding the supplies they need? What about the kiddo struggling with OCD who is immediately triggered to see the 3 ring binders are in the eraser bin and loose leaf paper unpackaged in the aisle?
Or the kiddo who was excited to wear his new clothes last night, but the morning of the first day the new clothes didn't fit like the old ones… the tag was scratchy… the fabric was stiff which led to a sensory meltdown and refusal to go to school.
Or the kiddo who refuses to get out of the car in the school drop of lane in fear of the other kids calling her names. Or not having anyone to sit with at lunch or play with at recess.
Or the added gas and time a caregiver spends driving her kids to different school therapy appointments, a new doctor’s office to balance medication or another IEP meeting.
Back to school is hard. Buying new supplies is hard. Transitioning into a routine is hard.
Pause community partners and volunteers helped carry the hard for caregivers this back to school season. This summer, 168 donors sponsored 175 backpacks for Pause kiddos! Donors drove around to different stores to get the exact supplies their schools requested, chose the colors of the different items and some even went the extra mile to hand write kiddos notes and give them encouragement this school year. Check it out!
On August 6th, families were able to come together to celebrate the start of school and pick up their supplies at We Rock the Spectrum in Cincinnati. Kiddos had fun in the sensory friendly gym and caregivers had the opportunity to catch up with Pause family friends or get to know new Pause families. Shout out to the fabulous staff at We Rock the Spectrum! Thank YOU for being so welcoming and generous to Pause!
One Pause mom said, “Pause always makes my big boys feel so special. There’s a lot we can’t do because of their little brother's autism, but every Pause event is something we get to do just because of their brother! Walking out with their own bags from someone who cared about them is such a gift to our family!”
Families shared with us…
“My kids were super excited looking at the supplies!! They loved everything!”
“This was a stress reliever for my family. They are confident now that they have everything they need.”
“I was amazed at the backpacks. How nice the actual backpacks were and the amount of material inside. Definitely a big help to begin the school year off right!!! Thank you Pause volunteers!”
“The generosity shown in those supplies was astounding!”
“Thanks for getting us supplies! That was so very thoughtful and helpful! We appreciate you all so much!”
“We were so grateful for all the school supplies! Everything was perfect and they got every supply they needed!”
To ALL the donors who sponsored a kiddo, you made a difference in the lives of caregivers who were dreading taking their kiddos to the store or trying to find a sitter to watch the kids while they shop.
You helped those kiddos get excited for school by personalizing their supplies and showing them that they are worthy, valued and loved. You stepped up for Pause families BIG time this back to school season and have set them up for a successful year!
This is CAN DO. This is COMMUNITY. This is YOUR SUPPORT.
