Sprott Shaw College is proud and honoured to be the alma mater for tenacious, inspiring, and motivated individuals like Andrea Fossum who launched the Penticton Wide School Donation Drive, which is returning for its second year. Making a positive difference in the lives of several students, the initiative collects school supplies and distributes them across all grades throughout the Penticton district to students who aren’t able to access them due to financial circumstances.
A graduate
from our Community
Support Worker – Social Services Program, Fossum began the initiative when she
learned about B.C.’s current child poverty rates. The unfortunate reality,
according to Fossum, is that approximately “20 percent of children in B.C. are
living in poverty, and [she is] finding that many parents [struggle] with the
high cost of living. So even those who don’t qualify as low-income are still
facing challenges.” Understanding the severity of the situation, Fossum decided
to take action and help her community by establishing the drive.
Last year, Fossum initiated the cause and received positive responses from schools and parents after distributing and raising $3,000 worth of school supplies in the Penticton area for students of all grades.
With the
success of last year’s event, the drive will be returning for a second year. For
this year’s drive, the initiative will once again be collecting cash donations
and supplies for schools in the Penticton region. All cash donations will be
used to purchase supplies based on the list schools provide their students before
the start of a new year – ensuring the core essentials are provided for first.
If
you are interested in helping and/or donating, please drop off cash donations
and school supplies at Sprott Shaw College – Penticton at 2603 Skaha Lake Road
or the Western News office at 575 Main Street in Penticton.
