‘Joy.?
That was the little word that immediately sprang from Cassandra’s smiling lips as she watched her children receive brand new school backpacks Saturday afternoon at the Oxford-Orion FISH pantry in Thomas.
‘I like the fact they can pick out their own bookbags instead of just having them handed to them,? said this Oxford mother of three.
FISH was able to provide 200 backpacks, each filled with an assortment of school supplies, to Oxford and Lake Orion students ranging from elementary age to high schoolers.
‘It puts a smile on my face knowing they’ll have everything that everybody else has,? said Jennifer, a mother of three who lives in Lake Orion.
‘It keeps me organized, that’s for sure. It helps me keep up my grades,? said Hallye, a high school student who came to the pantry to get backpacks and supplies for herself and three siblings. ‘If it wasn’t for (FISH), we wouldn’t have backpacks.?
In terms of donations, this was the FISH backpack drive’s most successful year ever.
‘It was phenomenal, the outpouring (of generosity) that we had,? said Michelle Behm, a FISH board member.
Behm explained every year, FISH ‘normally? has to purchase school supplies to supplement whatever was not donated. This year, the group didn’t have to purchase anything, except for ‘some 10-cent folders? and those were covered by donated gift cards.
‘This has never happened before,? Behm said,
Behm attributed the drive’s overwhelming success to the story the Oxford Leader wrote and published in early August.
‘It was unbelievable what that article did for us,? she said. ‘We were blown away.?
Between backpacks and school supplies, each student was given about $100 worth of new merchandise.
This results in a significant and much-needed savings for cash-strapped families, particularly those with two or more children.
‘It means a lot,? said Oxford mother Ashley, who picked up two backpacks for her boys. ‘I actually just had to get a water heater replaced, so I really didn’t have the money to get the backpacks.?
‘This year, I’ll be able to get them new school shoes because I’m not worried so much about (affording) the supplies and the backpack,? said Jessica, a single mother of three living in Orion Township. ‘It offsets our budget. It works out perfectly.?
‘Without FISH, we wouldn’t be having new backpacks,? said Kim, an Oxford mother of three. ‘Now, I can take my oldest one (shopping) for school shoes and jeans.?
‘It’s been a real blessing to us. School supplies are expensive,? said Heather, an Oxford mother of five. ‘Whatever we save goes into clothing and shoes for them for the year. Every little bit helps.?
‘It really helps out because there’s things they need, but there’s (also) bills to pay,? said Joanna, an Oxford single mother with two school-age children and a disabled daughter in her early 20s.
Parents absolutely love the fact FISH provides a true shopping experience for their children.
All of the backpacks were neatly displayed throughout the pantry. Kids and parents then walked the aisles, choosing exactly what they wanted just like in a store.
‘I love that they let the children pick. That’s my favorite part about it,? Jessica said.
‘They love it. They look forward to it,? said Karissa, a single mother of four who lives in Orion Township.
‘It’s just like shopping for them,? Heather said.
‘It means a lot to them to be able to actually choose and not have to worry about how much it costs,? Jessica said.
The parents were extremely grateful to FISH and everyone who donated to this year’s backpack drive.
‘Thank you from the bottom of all of our hearts,? Kim said.
‘It’s good that a community is willing to do this,? Joanna said. ‘A lot of communities don’t care, but this is a very good, caring community.?
‘It shows that there’s good people in the world,? Jennifer said.
‘Thank you for blessing our family with what we weren’t able to provide for them,? said Amanda, an Oxford mother of three.
Many of the mothers were complimentary of the overall FISH program, which provides everything from free groceries on a monthly basis to Christmas gifts.
‘It’s takes a lot of stress (away) knowing that I can come here and get help when I need it, especially for my kids,? Ashley said. ‘All the volunteers are nice and respectful. They don’t treat you like you’re just another statistic. They’re all very courteous and try to help you as much as possible.?
‘They help me out a lot. If it wasn’t for (FISH), I wouldn’t be able to make it month to month, honestly,? Ashley added.
‘We are a family that doesn’t have any (government) assistance and this is how we make our ends meet,? said a mother who did not wish to be identified. ?(FISH) really helps out a lot when you’re trying to pay your bills . . . This is an awesome resource for the community to come to if they need help filling those gaps (in their budget).?
‘I’ve never come to FISH with a need they couldn’t meet,? Jessica said. ‘They’ve always been able to help me and they’re always so nice to us and respectful.?
‘I feel comfortable coming here,? Amanda said. ‘It’s an amazing blessing for our family.?
To those folks who are afraid or hesitant about coming to FISH for help, Jennifer urged them to ‘get out here and put your pride aside.?
‘There’s a reason why there’s programs like this,? she said. ‘It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or a bad parent. It just means that you’re down on your luck, which a lot of people are.?
Jennifer is looking forward to being able to someday give back to FISH.
‘I think once I get back on my feet, I would love to be able to come here and help,? she said. ‘I’ve already asked them if I can volunteer. I think it’s a wonderful program.?