Busy day with food and clothes

Every day seems to be getting busier as we head to the unofficial end of summer - the beginning of the new school year. That seems to be especially true this week as we have just completed presentations for our United Way campaign with teachers in Shelton and Seymour and will be doing the Derby teacher's Friday morning. Today, we are also visiting with schools, but this will be an event for students and parents - our annual Back to School Clothes for Kids Project!

This is an absolutely amazing effort that our Corporate Volunteer Council began as schools closed for the summer back in June. On our rotating basis, Ansonia was chosen for this year's project and we were given profiles of needy students with information not only on their clothes sizes, but also about their favorite colors, sports, music, etc. For the last couple of months our CVC partners have been shopping for their kids, and today it all comes together with a reception for the kids where they will be getting their new outfits along with a heavy dose of encouragement for a great new school year. As a former teacher myself, I appreciate just how important the first couple of weeks are to student success. Our Back to School project helps to make sure kids attend school and are in the right frame of mind to learn. Please visit our website later today for pictures, stories and video from today's event.

Also on tap today is the second week of the Towers Food Drive sponsored by R.D. Scinto and Prudential Annuities in the "Circle" at the Corporate Drive complex. It's a tough time of year for the food banks, and this drive will really help the Spooner House replenish their dwindling supplies. There's a short video on our website.

For more information about Valley United Way, visit our website at www.valleyunitedway.org.