BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas — The Salvation Army is celebrating its ‘13th annual Back-to-School Shopping Spree’ to help kids in need here in the Brazos Valley.
With school starting in a couple of weeks, the Women’s Auxiliary group, an extension of the Salvation Army, is helping 30 school-aged kids with $100 gift cards to shop for school essentials.
“For the children especially for them having the opportunity to come and pick out some new shoes, some new clothes, come new outfits,” said Andrea Israel, captain, Salvation Army. “It helps to encourage them. It helps to lift their self-esteem and get them excited for the school year to start.”
Two local high school students share what items they chose throughout their shopping spree.
“We picked up t-shirts, shorts, socks, underwear, and clothes,” said Marco and Trey Steptoe, local Brazos Valley High School students.
The Steptoe brothers say they have been participating in this back-to-school event for years
“Like five or six years, we’ve been doing this back-to-school [event],” said the Steptoe brothers.
Capt. Israel says events like this help relieve families of financial stress.
“For the parents, it’s a huge relief,” she said. “Just one less thing on their to-do list of having to worry about the expense of that. The cost of food, cost of living is just growing and that’s just been harder and harder on families.”
Israel says this small blessing made possible with the help of the Women’s Auxiliary group is making a big impact on local families.
“The opportunity for this little blessing that the Women’s Auxiliary is able to support and give to them and communicates boundless hope into these families’ lives,” said Israel. “It’s just encouragement to know that they care about their families, their children, and we want to see these children ready to succeed.”
The Steptoe brothers say they are thankful for the community coming together to support this event.
“We appreciate the community helping us go back to school,” they said.
The Women’s Auxiliary is happy to help and serve one family at a time.