For the fifth year in a row, the Women of Steel have raised money to provide underprivileged children in the Elk Valley with their needed school supplies.
“The program is all anonymous, we get lists from the Fernie Women’s Resource Centre, and the Toys for Tots in Sparwood and they basically tell me ‘I have got a kindergarten girl at this school, two grade one boys at this school.’ I get the class supply list before the schools close for the summer so we can pack accordingly and all the kids are ready and equal on the first day of school,” said Sarah Thompson from the Women of Steel.
The initiative began when the Women of Steel identified the need and moved to raise money. This year the group raised $5,000 to buy and fill 53 backpacks with school supplies. Any leftover funding will be donated to the Crowsnest Pass Food Bank for their Healthy Breakfast program that is for kids in the Pass.
According to Benzie, many mothers are very appreciative of the backpacks.
“Super grateful to get it. It takes a huge burden off the moms that we serve. They don’t need to worry about getting everything together because it is all here,” she said.