First Lady's Backpacks & Duffle Bags for Homeless Children

 Thousands of children in Nebraska and Iowa will be homeless for one reason or another during this year.  These innocent children are often removed from dangerous situations with nothing to call their own. We can touch those children’s lives by providing a backpack or duffle bag. How about filling the backpacks and duffle bags with items that they can call their own? Wow, what a smile that would bring!

 A quote from an official at the Child Saving Institute in Omaha: “Marvel, thank you for thinking of the Child Saving Institute and the many children and families we serve here each year.  We would be honored and pleased to be part of your Kiwanis project.  Our emergency shelters serve approximately 800 children and teens each year.  Many of them have nothing but plastic bags to transport their belongings.  It’s very sad.  Your duffle bags would be so appreciated!” 

 Obtain new or clean, gently used, backpacks or duffle bags.  Decide on the age of a child and if you’re going to fill a bag for a boy or a girl.  Perhaps you can fill a backpack or duffle bag for a child that is the age of your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc or donate money so your sponsored youth organization can fill a bag for a child or teen their own age.

 The organizations I have been in contact with are Children and Families of Iowa in Des Moines (Strengthening Families, Restoring Futures) and the Child Saving Institute in Omaha (Responding to the cry of a child). The mottos of these two organizations (in parenthesis) fit with our motto; Hands of Service Touching Hearts. 

 Bob and I will be happy to deliver the backpacks/duffle bags to these organizations or you can get a group together to make the delivery (just ask me for the contact person). I can guarantee that you will be rewarded with smiles! 

 If you have a local organization that works with children in crisis, please fill backpacks and duffle bags for them.  All I ask is that you send me an email (dunaway@iowatelecom.net), call (641-259-3220) or send me a note (PO Box 369 Monroe, IA 50170) and let me know how many back packs or duffle bags your club has donated and what organization received them. 

 If you have backpacks or duffle bags to be picked up, please call me or contact your Lt Governor and we will arrange for someone to pick them up or you can bring them to the Midyear Conference in Ankeny on February 19.

 Suggestions for items to place in the backpacks are listed; however, you can decide on a certain age of girl or boy and use your imagination to fill the bag!  To assist the staff in distributing the bags, please place a label on the outside indicating the age of the child and if it is for a boy or girl.