Taylor Clark

LJI Reporter

With the help of the community, the Groupe communautaire Deschênes is hoping to provide 300 students in Aylmer with all the necessities to kick off the upcoming school year.

The Back to School Blitz was originally meant to provide 147 students from kindergarten to grade six in the Deschênes district with backpacks filled with school supplies. The initiative grew to support 153 more students across Aylmer with the involvement of the Centre Communautaire Entre Nous, Équipe Soutein-famille, Centre alimentaire Aylmer, and L’Autre Chez Soi.

But more backpacks mean more school supplies. Groupe communautaire Deschênes coordinator Ibrahim Diallo said the community centre seeks gently used supplies like paper, crayons, and notebooks to load the additional backpacks.

Donations can be dropped off at the Groupe Communautaire Deschenes located at 55 Chemin Vanier, Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. Monetary donations are also being accepted. Cash or cheques can be dropped off at the centre and e-transfers can be made to kbyrne@outlook.com, using the password Backtoschool. Tax receipts can be made for any donation of $20 or more.

Kathleen Fortin, who has been assisting in the back-to-school initiative, said many local businesses and organizations have been able to contribute by providing donations or dropping prices. “Everyone’s kind of rallying together, which is really nice.”

Those registered with the centre or another organization closer to them will be able to pick up the collected items at the Groupe Communautaire Deschenes from August 21 to 23 for a small fee. Once families are ready to “check out,” they will receive a 70 per cent discount on the entire purchase, said Diallo.

Any leftover supplies will benefit the 87 high school students on the centre’s waitlist.

Photo caption: Three hundred students across Aylmer will start the school year with new gear thanks to a Back to School Blitz organized by the Groupe Communautaire Deschenes.

Photo credit: Groupe communautaire Deschênes