[KWPTA] Today's Grocery Gift Card & School Supply Distribution to Barrett Families

Today, we distributed 203 $50 grocery gift cards, 274 school supply kits, and many packages of candy (this time, courtesy of Macy's) to Barrett families. Through families reaching out to several teachers, we will send out at least another 18 gift cards for families who were not able to make it to today's distribution. In total, including funding provided by Barrett PTA, we will have distributed about $13,000 in grocery gift cards and school supplies (not including the almost $8500 in gift cards we distributed in early April). We will have a little more than $5,000 left after today's distribution (and mailing). I will send out a more detailed accounting in the next few days to provide everyone with information on exactly how much we've distributed, what we've raised, what we have left, and what our plans are next moving forward (please send us any suggestions you have).

In addition to the almost 100 Barrett families and teachers who donated financially (since our last distribution) to our effort and the Arlington teachers who led the "One Pantry at a Time" GoFundMe effort, I wanted to also give a special thanks to the following individuals (in no particular order):

• Ms. Christina Torres and Ms. Elizabeth Rente Sullivan, who have spent the past several weeks ordering and putting together the school supply kits; they also helped out with our distribution effort today (helping us recognize many Barrett families). 
• Julie Bates, Senior Director and Manager at Macy's, who reached out to me to offer not just a huge box filled with packages of candy from Macy's, but also more than 70 bottles of fragrances and grooming kits that we will be giving to Barrett teachers as part of Teacher Appreciation Week.  
• Gina Craig, who donated 35 grocery gift cards she raised in honor of her late father. 
• Alice Tewell, who donated 32 handmade masks made by Angeline Barnes, a grandmother to a Barrett kindergartner (Ms. Rente also ordered masks to provide to anyone who did not have a mask today)
• Mark Frei, our HOA President, who has been unbelievably supportive (in many ways) in our effort

I had posted on our neighborhood Facebook page just to let our neighbors know of our efforts and asked if anyone had any concerns, to send me a message. I received a couple messages from neighbors we have not met. Instead of raising any concerns about any disruption to our neighborhood (as I had feared as soon as I received a message alert), these neighbors told me that they saw our distribution effort, and wanted to know how they could donate and help. As we've witnessed over the past couple of months, there is great need in our community. But fortunately, the kindness and generosity of our friends and neighbors are just as great. I continue to be so humbled by all the support we have received from our Barrett community. 

Will 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Members, Parents and Staff" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to everyone+unsubscribe@kwbarrettpta.org.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/kwbarrettpta.org/d/msgid/everyone/CANc5P%2BA49tSoDcr4YNkY7isC10NOh%3DzMd19Yxmx5EjEDknYTLw%40mail.gmail.com.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Members" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to members+unsubscribe@kwbarrettpta.org.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/kwbarrettpta.org/d/msgid/members/CANc5P%2BA49tSoDcr4YNkY7isC10NOh%3DzMd19Yxmx5EjEDknYTLw%40mail.gmail.com.