by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Over 400 local foster children are officially ready to go back to school.
Tuesday, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBS), Family Support Services of North Florida (FSS) and other sponsors held the annual back to school party for local foster children. Over 1,258 backpacks were donated from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida employees, said Judy Ellis, project consultant for BCBS.
“We doubled the amount of backpacks we collected from last year,” she said. “And these all came from the employees. The company is a sponsor, but the employees buy all of the supplies and backpacks.”
The event was held at Jacksonville Indoor Sports. As the children arrived with their foster parents, they were sent to pick out a book bag before heading off to play a variety of sports as well as jump in the bounce houses, play carnival games and eat pizza.
Ellis said the event has continued to grow since 2000 and about 30 employees from BCBS come out each year to volunteer their time for the afternoon.
“We like doing it and it makes them feel good,” she said.
Jonzetta Jackson, a service manager for BCBS, was helping the children pick out their book bags.
“I do it for the kids and to make sure they get what they need for school,” she said.
The book bags include lined paper, pens, pencils, crayons, glue, notebooks, rulers and calculators depending on what grade the child is entering.
Chuck Young, director of community development for FSS, said the event is to make sure all local foster children are prepared to go back to school.
“When children are removed from their parents, they often don’t come with much, so we make sure they have everything they need when they go back to school each year,” said Young.
Circuit Court Judge David Gooding spent a part of his afternoon at the event watching the children play sports and pick up their book bags. One child even asked Gooding to jump in one of the bounce houses with him.
“Whenever I have a hard day, it helps me see kids enjoying themselves,” he said. “It reminds me that this is what it is all about.”
Chona Segura, a foster parent who also has two children of her own, said she is happy there is an event like this for the foster children.
“I think this a great event and the backpacks really help,” she said. “They are so excited to get a free backpack.”
The book bags that were not given out during the event will be taken back to FSS where the case workers will deliver them to children who may not have been able to attend.