Sharing for the classroom

Lolita Harper

Fendi bags and Gucci coin purses are not on their back-to-school

lists. The 1,000 students who will participate in the Share Our

Selves Back to School Day on Saturday just need the basics to get

through the school year.

Terri Madden and Barbara Pender, volunteers in charge of the

program, are asking the community for backpacks, binders, markers,

calculators, paper -- any basic supplies to be donated to the

children of families who have more pressing provisions to purchase.

Backpacks can be “gently used” but still in good condition, they

said.

“A positive start to the school year can have an important impact

on each student’s success,” Pender said.

Orange County children have enough to worry about without trying

to struggle through math class without a calculator, or worse yet,

explain in front of the whole class that the family cannot afford

one.

Madden, Pender and an army of volunteers have stocked the building

with materials that will be divided into packs for the students to

take home Saturday. Organizers estimate the packs will save

working-class families about $50, leaving perhaps a little wiggle

room in some very tight budgets.

In some years, the event garnered so much community support that

Share Our Selves accumulated supplies to use for a couple of years.

With the downturn of the economy and the increasing number of

children being helped, the surplus is diminishing.

Despite the continual attacks that Share Our Selves and other

neighborhood charities have come under by those who believe they

attract poor and immigrant families to the area, program leaders are

not backing down. Education is a tool to combat poverty and help

overcome dismal living situations, they said.

Costa Mesa Councilman Chris Steel said he believes in the

organization’s charitable intentions but feels the burden falls too

heavy on the city of Costa Mesa. The supplies will be distributed to

children from all over the county, yet the nexus of that support is

only in one city, he said.

Madden, Bender and other volunteers said they are happy that their

community can help so many in need and hope residents of Newport-Mesa

will continue to give. Donations can be delivered to SOS at 1550

Superior Ave. in Costa Mesa.

For information, call Madden or Pender at (949) 642-3451.