Troy Busconi, a GMUW volunteer, and Ashley Calabrese get some help from Jordan loading school supplies for Tatum’s Totes.
The offices of Green Mountain United Way are filled with new backpacks, fresh markers, pens and pencils, and all of the things that kids need for school, thanks to many generous donations from local businesses and organizations like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont, VSECU, Hickok and Boardman, Central Vermont Home, Health & Hospice, VT Mutual Insurance and others.
Beginning in July, volunteers at these companies alerted friends and co-workers to the growing need at Green Mountain United Way for school supplies, backpacks, personal care items and more for children and teens going into emergent foster care.
Tatum’s Totes provides children with a new backpack full of basic items like socks and toothbrushes, hair care products, and school and art supplies upon leaving home and going into a new one. Often, these are the only items they have when they arrive at their new foster homes.
Green Mountain United Way has given out over 300 backpacks in the last year to children going into foster care as well as many holiday gifts gathered by many of the same donors to the school supply drive.
We are always accepting donations to Tatum’s Totes. Visit gmunitedway.org for more information or to donate online.
Green Mountain United Way fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Orleans, and Washington Counties in Vermont. Every child helped through Tatum’s Totes lives here in Central Vermont or the Northeast Kingdom.
