CREVE COEUR, Mo. – Summer break just started, but some already have back-to-school on their minds Friday.
A St. Louis group is getting much needed supplies ready for kids and FOX2 is helping out. KTVI FOX2 and KPLR Channel 11 celebrated Nexstar Founder’s Day of Caring by volunteering at the National Council of Jewish Women St. Louis.
Volunteers packed backpacks with school supplies and sorting through boxes filled with coats to prepare for the organization’s back to school store event in August.
“The NCJWSTL has been around 120 years, and our mission is to improve women, children and families in our community and this is one of the ways we do that,” said Ellen Alper, CEO of NCJWSTL.
The volunteer work is part of a nationwide initiative by Nexstar stations to give back to local communities for its 27th Annual Day of Caring, signifying the year that the company was founded.
“Television stations do this across the country. We had a committee that came together and said, ‘Okay, what is a worthy cause that we can we come together and help?’ They voted this one. We got 50 employees here packing school supplies, coats for the people that need it. We are thrilled to be involved,” said KTVI/KPLR General Manager Kurt Krueger.
The organization’s signature community service project is “The Back to School Store.” A one-day event held every year that provides new clothing, school supplies and books to over 1500 underserved children.
The effort can help children start the school year confident and ready to learn and remain successful throughout the year.
“We attack issues that are a need in the community. We do projects like this, back-to-school store, to meet the immediate need of disadvantaged families. But at the same time. We are working policy issues with the local and state government, attacking the situation that put those people in need in the first place,” said NCJWSTL President Nancy Litz.
For more information about the National Council of Jewish Women, or if you would like to make a donation, click here.