ResourceWest Director Asks for Help During Critical School Supplies Shortage

Editor's note: Judy Elling, executive director of ResourceWest, sent this personal message to the organization's supporters explaining why it's so important to help with ResourceWest's back-to-school supplies drive. Please consider donating to the organization.

***

Hello friend & supporter of ResourceWest,

I want to share with you one of my personal stories, which I hope you will share with others. Please take a moment and read this email. 

I grew up in a very poor family with 5 brothers & sisters. We did not have much and struggled a lot. Because of my background and personal experiences, I do identify with many of the families who are walking through the doors of ResourceWest asking for our help.

What I want to share with you today is that I personally know what it feels like to walk through the school doors on the first day of school in hand-me-down clothes that don't fit properly and have stains which will never come out.  And, unfortunately, there were many first days of school when I went to school without school supplies. My family just could not afford to buy them for six children. There were no Back-to-School programs to help them get the supplies. 

I remember that instead of attentively listening to the teacher and being excited about seeing my friends again after a long summer, I sat there nervously waiting for the teacher to tell us to put our things in our desk and pull out a piece of paper and pencil - because I didn't have either.

I was so self-conscious and worried about the other kids teasing me (which they did) that I would slump down in my desk and try to be invisible. I never raised my hand to answer a question, and would secretly pray that the teacher would not call on me. Throughout my school life, I could not "brush off" that embarrassment and humiliation I felt, there were many times I just wanted to curl into a ball and hide.

I never want another child to feel that pain and embarrassment. The hurt stays with you for many years and every new school year you wonder if your parents will have enough money to at least get you a tablet of paper and a pencil - many years this did not happen for me. The result is a self-conscious unsure child who is not focused on learning, but instead is focused on being invisible or begins to act out in order for an adult to pay attention to them and hopefully fix what is wrong.

ResourceWest is trying to ensure that all the children who attend the Hopkins and Minnetonka School Districts do not have to experience the embarrassment and humiliation of going to school without.

Currently, ResourceWest is raising money for our Back-to-School program. This is where we need your help. 

The program is in need of new school supplies and we need to raise over $20,000 in order to provide the students, of families in need, with the school supplies for the new school year. 

Donations are needed on or before August 21st, which is when we start giving out the supplies to the students.

Please help us by donating today and sharing my personal story with your network and hopefully we can the raise the money and school supplies needed. 

Thank you for reading my story,

Judy Elling, LGSW, MSW-PDPA

Executive Director