Parents get help with back-to-school needs

With only a week to go before the start of the new school term, the burden on some parents and guardians to provide school bags for their children has been lifted.

Thanks to the officials of the Boston, Massachusetts-based Alegna Wellness Boutique who partnered with the Authentic Caribbean Foundation – which is also based in Boston in the United States – to provide the back-to-school items.

Those benefiting from the good deed included scores of children from the Methodist church community across the island.

On Sunday, children of the Bethany Baptist Church in Mile-and-a-Quarter in St Peter were gifted with the school bags.

Reverend Anderson Toppin said he was happy that the church was facilitating the kind gesture, as he declared that the need for various school items was great every summer.

“Critical needs are being realised around the world and even right here in Barbados. And at times because people may in general feel that life is not too difficult for them they may not see that there are other people among them in significant need,” said Anderson.

“Certainly when we come to this time of the year and parents have to send their children back to school there is a significant challenge for some parents. The challenge of being able to find all the finances that are needed to properly outfit the child for school. This year, as in previous years, this has been the situation as far back as I can remember; parents have always had that challenge,” he said.

Angela Nichols, operator of Alegna Wellness Boutique, said she was happy to assist, adding that once she reached out to operators of the Authentic Caribbean Foundation, they immediately said they were willing to help.

“Several charities across the island have received backpacks for their children just in time for back to school. I think it is about 148 backpacks,” she said.

The backpacks are being distributed to children across 11 churches.

Nichols said it was her hope to have a branch of Alegna Wellness Boutique in Barbados. The company promotes wellness and healthy living and the use of superfoods, as she urged officials here to continue to promote health and wellness.

“Children are our future. Teaching them healthy habits has to happen now for them to be healthy adults,” she said.

Following the presentation, Pastor Wendell Clarke told Barbados TODAY that the church has been very busy in providing a lot of assistance to parents over the years, but has been silent in doing so.

He explained that the need for various assistance across Barbados was great and it was the church’s intention to share more of its work with the public.

“These bags have been distributed at around 10 or 11 churches on the island. As a matter of fact, we would like more backpacks to give people. The need is great and this is just for the back-to-school time,” said Clarke.

“The church has been too silent in doing a good thing. Having the light under a bushel. So we are now moving the bushel and letting people know what we are doing in some cases. There are some cases that are sensitive, but things like the backpacks and other plans that we have, we will let the public know what good work we are doing,” he said.

“We will be joining with more people in feeding the hungry and the homeless. We are also going through the community and making sure that members of the community are sufficiently satisfied. We have to assist where we possibly can,” he insisted.

(MM)