Lane County young professionals help underserved children shop for back-to-school clothes
On Saturday, August 8th, CLF Network partnered with Boys & Girls Club of Emerald Valley and JCPenney to give 43 kids the chance to shop for brand new back-to-school items.
Each child received a $200 gift card to shop for clothes, shoes, and other back-to-school essentials. JCPenney even provided an additional discount on most items purchased. CLF Network also spent nearly $1,700 on school supplies, and children were sent home with a backpack stuffed with grade-level appropriate supplies, a water bottle, and a lunch box filled with non-perishable snacks.
For many families, back-to-school expenses can be a significant burden, and this project provides meaningful support while allowing children to make their own choices and experience the excitement of shopping for things they need. Beyond meeting tangible needs, this event builds connection and community by bringing together nonprofit partners, businesses, sponsors, volunteers, and families around a shared commitment to helping local children thrive.
The day of the event, children were paired with an incredible volunteer and spent nearly two hours shopping for new clothing, shoes, and other necessities to help children get the school year started feeling confident and prepared. In total, CLF Network coordinated 43 children and their families with 42 volunteers. After shopping, groups went to lunch in the Valley River Center food court where they received a free Subway sandwich and Cinnabon.
Participant Reflections
As a new member of CLF Network, this was Anna Heironimus’ first year volunteering for the project. She said her favorite part about the project was getting to see the kids’ styles and preferences, as well as watching them get more comfortable as the day went on.
I just really love the opportunity to get to work alongside kids and go back-to-school shopping. That's something I really enjoyed as a child, and so I loved just getting to see their faces light up when they pick out a pair of jeans or shoes and something else to make them ready or excited for school. They were kind of shy and new at first but by the end they were having a blast and they were hanging out with all their friends.
One of the middle-school aged kids who participated in the project received new shoes, a dress, two skirts, a sweatshirt, and more, but said her favorite item of the day was a pair of black flats that she picked out to go with a gold pair that she’d received the previous year. She said hanging out with her CLF Network volunteer was very fun and the volunteer did everything to help her shop for her back-to-school clothes.
Another elementary-aged child said his favorite thing he received was a backpack with Mario and Bowser characters on it. He proclaimed that the backpack would be the first thing he’d wear when he went back to school, along with a Dogman-themed shirt he’d found.
When asked if he had fun during the project, the child loudly and excitedly screamed,
“YESSSSSSS!”
This project has always held a dear place in my heart since joining the Network in 2022. I came from a low-income family and was included in these kinds of events as a child. The impact those events had on me was long-lasting, and I love the fact that I can give back to my community and help empower local students to feel cared for by organizations like CLF.
Core Project Summary
For the past 15 years, Children’s Legacy Foundation Network has facilitated the Children’s Shopping Spree, where volunteers are paired one-on-one with a child from a beneficiary agency to help them shop for back-to-school essentials at JCPenney.
CLF Network is incredibly grateful to the Knights of Pythias, JCPenney, SELCO Community Credit Union, Subway, Cinnabon, Candy Tyme, and the Valley River Center for continuing to make this event possible. This project would not happen without your generosity and dedication to our community!
Contact Information
We host Children’s Shopping Spree every year at the beginning of August. Community members and businesses interested in supporting this project are welcome to reach out to learn more about getting involved.
