The Elk Grove community held a special back-to-school shopping spree for kids in need on Saturday. One hundred students and volunteer chaperones took part to make sure kids don’t go without when they return to the classroom. “I think it’s really great that they did that for us,” said 10-year-old Zoey Jimenez, who added that the shopping spree will help her start fifth grade with confidence. “I got a lot of shirts and dresses, shorts and jeans.”Students from the Elk Grove Unified School District were each given $175 by the Optimist Club to buy anything they needed for school. Many chose the basics over high fashion. “A lot of these kids probably wouldn’t have new clothes they would have hand-me-downs or whatever and so now they are going to school with new clothes, and they can feel proud,” said John Shook, president of the Optimist Club. Young shoppers also got free haircuts, vision exams and prescription glasses. City Councilmember Eric Guerra was happy to be a chaperone and said he remembers what it was like to start school without new clothes. “I remember being a kid, farm working kid and having an old pair of shoes and sometimes the confidence that comes with some of those issues, lamentable. But these kids get to show up today with a new pair of shoes, new pair of jeans ,” Guerra said.He added that he hopes the community can do more events like this in the future. “Having something that brings community together that says we care about you is a huge impact, so we hope that we can do more of this stuff throughout the region,” Guerra said.
The Elk Grove community held a special back-to-school shopping spree for kids in need on Saturday.
One hundred students and volunteer chaperones took part to make sure kids don’t go without when they return to the classroom.
“I think it’s really great that they did that for us,” said 10-year-old Zoey Jimenez, who added that the shopping spree will help her start fifth grade with confidence. “I got a lot of shirts and dresses, shorts and jeans.”
Students from the Elk Grove Unified School District were each given $175 by the Optimist Club to buy anything they needed for school. Many chose the basics over high fashion.
“A lot of these kids probably wouldn’t have new clothes they would have hand-me-downs or whatever and so now they are going to school with new clothes, and they can feel proud,” said John Shook, president of the Optimist Club.
Young shoppers also got free haircuts, vision exams and prescription glasses.
City Councilmember Eric Guerra was happy to be a chaperone and said he remembers what it was like to start school without new clothes.
“I remember being a kid, farm working kid and having an old pair of shoes and sometimes the confidence that comes with some of those issues, lamentable. But these kids get to show up today with a new pair of shoes, new pair of jeans , Guerra said.
He added that he hopes the community can do more events like this in the future.
“Having something that brings community together that says we care about you is a huge impact, so we hope that we can do more of this stuff throughout the region,” Guerra said.