For immediate release Contact: Pat Miller
AUGUST 7, 2008 (703) 683-2570

ALEXANDRIA ASKED TO SUPPORT CHILDREN’S SCHOOL DRIVE
Fundraising Drive Underway

Alexandria, VA – With fall approaching, the non-profit Community Partners for Children is collecting supplies so needy kids have a chance to do well at school. Each fall, thousands of Alexandria children face the prospect of starting school without adequate supplies.

Community Partners for Children collects new backpacks for all age groups, black and white composition books, spiral notebooks, wide rule notebook paper, pens, pencils, crayons, erasers, pocket folders, pencil pouches, scissors, rulers, and other supplies.

The Alexandria DASH Bus System is offering a FREE ride on Wednesday, August 20, to those who board a DASH bus with new, unopened school supplies and drop them in the special collection bag. School supply donations also accepted at the Old Town Transit Shop from now through August 25. This is the second year that DASH has partnered with Community Partners for Children in a Ride Free Day for school supplies.

This year the Community Partners for Children Back-to-School Drive will end on August 25. The drive officially kicks off August 5, during National Night Out, a unique crime- and drug-prevention event hosted by the Del Ray and the Warwick Village Citizens Associations. At the event CPC will sponsor children’s washable tattoos, and CPC board members will be on hand to tell people how they can participate in the Back-to-School Drive. There will be donation boxes set up for people to drop off school supplies.

“We’ll be there handing out flyers to let people know about how they can contribute to the Drive,” said Community Partners for Children’s President Mary Karstens. “They can donate supplies, make a monetary contribution, and volunteer to help sort donations.”

“This back-to-school drive allows us to do something for kids who, through no fault of their own, are facing difficult circumstances,” said Karstens. “I urge everyone to gather up some school supplies that they would like to donate, and join us at our local celebration of National Night Out.”

“We try to make it possible for any child who qualifies for free or reduced-price meals to have the supplies needed when the school year starts,” Karstens added.

There are several ways you can help:

• Attend the kick off held during the local celebration of National Night Out, on Tuesday Aug. 5 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The celebration takes place at the Colasanto Park and Pool, which is at the intersection of Mount Vernon and Commonwealth Avenues. Bring your kids so they can participate in the festivities and learn about local anti-crime efforts.

• Donate school supplies when you come to the kick off.

• Donate with your tax deductible check to support Community Partners for Children’s Back-to-School drive, the Christmas Toy Drive, and the baby supply drive held each spring. Send your check to Community Partners for Children, P.O. Box 2738, Alexandria, VA 22301.

• Volunteer to help sort supplies on Monday evening, Aug. 24, at Mount Vernon Recreation Center, 2701 Commonwealth Avenue. To volunteer, call Pat Miller at H-703-683-2570.

• Throughout the month of August, donate new backpacks, black and white composition books, spiral notebooks, wide rule notebook paper, pens, pencils, crayons, highlighters, erasers, pocket folders, pencil pouches, scissors, rulers, and other supplies to a drop-off box at one of various locations in Alexandria:

• A Show of Hands, 2204 Mt. Vernon Ave.
• Acoustic Axis, 2405 Mt. Vernon Ave.
• Alexandria Public Library All Branches:
Beatley-5005 Duke St.
Barrett-717 Queen St.
Burke-4701 Seminary Road
Duncan-2501 Commonwealth Ave.

• Alexandria Volunteer Bureau, 2210 Mt. Vernon Ave.
• Anne Welsh Salon, 2100 Mt. Vernon Ave.
• Burke & Herbert Banks:
100 South Fairfax St.
1705 Fern St.
621 King St.
306 E. Monroe Ave.

• Chinquapin Recreation Center, 3210 King St.
• Chrysalis Chiropractic, 3140 Commonwealth Ave.
• Curves Del Ray, 2609 Mount Vernon Ave.
• Curves Foxchase, 4613B Duke St.
• Dairy Godmother, 2310 Mount Vernon Ave.
• Long & Foster Realtors, 5845 Richmond Highway
• Old Town Post Box, 127 South Fairfax St.
• Old Town Transit Shop, 1775 C Duke St.
• Perk’s Coffee Lounge, 822 N Fairfax Street
• St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub, 2300 Mount Vernon Ave.
• Virginia Commerce Bank, 2401 Mount Vernon Ave.
• Yoga in Daily Life, 2402 Mount Vernon Ave.

Other participating organizations include Alexandria Health Department, Alexandria INOVA Hospital, ASIS, BearingPoint, Church of the Resurrection, Commonwealth Federal Credit Union, Congregation Agudas Achim, DASH, Jack’s Place Deli, Grace Episcopal Church, Kiwanis Club, SmithBarney, The CIMA Companies, Inc., The Hartford, Trinity United Methodist Church, and VSE.

The Warwick Village Citizens Association and the Del Ray Citizens Association are co-hosting a cookout tonight at the Mt. Vernon Recreation Center, because tonight is National Night Out.

From the Del Ray Citizens list-serv:

The Del Ray and Warwick Village Citizens Associations have named the
local nonprofit Community Partners for Children (CPC), the Alexandria
Police Foundation, and ALIVE!”(ALexandrians InVolved Ecumenically) as beneficiaries of this year’s event.

Any funds raised will be donated to these groups.

The CPC will collect school supplies to distribute to Alexandria
children in need.

ALIVE! will collect canned and packaged food for Alexandria families
in need.

The National Night Out celebration is on Tuesday, August 5, from 5:30
p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Mt Vernon Recreation Center fields at the
intersection of Mount Vernon and Commonwealth Avenues.

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More information on CPC, the Alexandria Police Fund, and ALIVE!

CPC has been helping children in need since 1991. Throughout the year
they collect school supplies, toys, baby supplies, and other items and
distribute them to disadvantaged families and children in Alexandria.
CPC will kick off its annual Back-To-School Supply Drive at National
Night Out. CPC board members will be on hand to tell people how they
can participate in the Back-To-School Drive. They will be accepting
cash donations and school supplies. At the event they will also be
helping kids adorn themselves with the temporary fun of washable tattoos.

The Alexandria Police Foundation is a nonprofit charitable
organization that assists Alexandria police officers by providing
resources that improve officer performance, morale and effectiveness
in their efforts to safeguard our community. The Foundation provides
resources for scholarship grants to police officers, purchase of
medical insurance for retired K-9 police dogs, and research/study
efforts designed to improve law enforcement services.

ALIVE! was established in 1972 as a shelter for women and families and
currently. Its current mission is to help residents recognize their
own distinctive interests, talents, and skills, and to assist them in
achieving their goals. ALIVE! programs include a child development
center, collecting canned and packaged food, collecting furniture and
housewares, and the ALIVE! House Shelter. ALIVE! is Alexandrians
helping Alexandrians.

(author/poster unknown)

Don’t forget your bug repellent!