As summer’s heat begins to wane and back-to-school sales are cropping up everywhere, more Utah children will struggle to be ready when classroom doors swing open later this month.
A recent KIDS COUNT Data Book for 2012 reported that about one in six Utah children now live in poverty. And Salt Lake City’s homeless shelter, the Road Home, is bursting at the seams due to a recent influx of homeless families in need of temporary housing.
In response, two similar but unrelated campaigns are under way to help low-income children gear up for the coming school year.
"We want to ensure that every child at the Road Home has the needed clothing and supplies for back-toschool,"
Intrepid owner Chris Thomas, organizer of this year’s Road Home Apple Tree campaign, said in a statement.
"It is as simple as purchasing an extra item or two when you do your back-to-school shopping," Thomas added.
In mid-July, the "apple trees" sprouted at 35 DownEast, Payless ShoeSource, Salt Lake Area Staples, Sanctuary Day Spa and Intrepid sites between Ogden and Provo. The campaign began with the names, needs and sizes of 70 children, but organizers have since had to add 72 more. Salt Lake Tribune
