Hi Church of the Cross Family!

It’s hard to believe that summer is winding down, and we’re in "back to school" mode! When I taught elementary school, back to school was an exciting time of setting up my classroom and meeting my new students. Kids were always excited to see their old friends and meet their new teachers. 
 

Of course,this year is different. Many kids are virtually learning from home and not getting to see their friends in person. Some kids are going back to school in-person, but schools feel different with everyone in masks and socially distancing in the classrooms. This is an unusual and hard "back to school" season for many families. All of the kids, parents, and educators in our church community have been especially on my heart and in my prayers the past couple of weeks.
 

I also have been reflecting back to when I was a teacher at an elementary school in a low-income neighborhood. While teachers and kids were excited about going back to school, many parents felt the financial strain of having to buy school supplies for the new year. I recently contacted a friend at  Harris Elementary, where over 96% of the students are economically disadvantaged, to see if there was anything we could do to support their students. 
 

Harris Elementary responded with an enthusiastic YES! We are partnering with the school to  provide backpacks with school supplies that can be distributed to students in need. If you are interested in donating a backpack and school supplies, you can find the list of needed items here. If you have kids, this is a great opportunity to involve your kids in serving others! As you and your kids are shopping for their school supplies, you can pick up extra supplies to bless the students at Harris.
 

If you are coming to the Parking Lot Praise on September 13th, you can bring that bag with you. If you can’t make it to the Parking Lot Praise, you can drop the backpack of supplies off at the Parish House by September 19th.
 

I’m excited about this opportunity to bless our neighbors at Harris Elementary. If you have any questions, feel free to email me!

Sarah