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When I was a kid, my parents would take me to the store to buy a new backpack, binder, notebooks, and pencils at the beginning of each school year. If I was persistent enough, they also bought me a snazzy pencil pouch, an assortment of markers, a fancy click-eraser and mechanical pencil. Looking back I realize how fortunate I was to have these supplies to get me through the school year.  It was one less thing for me to worry about, and gave me the opportunity to focus my energy on the assignments and having fun with my friends at school…and well it gave me the opportunity to simply be a kid.
 
After volunteering for Promises2kids through BOMA San Diego for the past three years, I learned that there are many foster children in our community who need the essential school supplies. Imagine if you were a foster child – dealing with family issues, neglect/abuse, switching homes, and switching schools.  It’s a lot for them to deal with at a young age.  By partnering with Promises2kids, BOMA San Diego is able to help Promises2kids with their mission to create positive and productive futures for San Diego’s abused and at-risk children.  Founded over 30 years ago as the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation of San Diego County, Promises2kids has answered to the needs to foster children and promote the fight against child abuse and neglect in our town.
 
With our huge network of about 300 members, BOMA San Diego members have the ability to reach out to people in their buildings and even in their social networks who may want to give to the cause but were not sure how to go about it. There is currently a need to collect backpacks for children in kindergarten through 6^th grade. Here is a link to the wish list to help your shopping efforts.
 
BOMA’s goals is to donate 200 backpacks this year, but I challenge the team to exceed this goal.
 
If you have any questions about the Back-To-School Drive, please reach out to the Drive’s sub-chair Jeff Niles from Concierge Cleaning. 

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IDEAS ON ENCOURAGING YOUR CO-WORKERS AND TENANTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DRIVE:
 
Consider:
 

• Offering a prize to the tenant who brings in the most backpacks
• Throw a pizza party and charge admission (admission = 1 backpack)
• Using your social media network – post photos of donations and thank donors individually on your Facebook page
• Encouraging donations from co-workers, clients, family and friends from far away (suggest they send donations to you via shopping websites like Amazon or Walmart)
• ‘Share’ BOMA San Diego’s postings on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter