Over 500 Children Receive Backpacks Thanks to DCAC and CES Cares
Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC) and the City Electric Supply (CES) social impact division, CES Cares, made a huge difference for children who’ve suffered abuse in Texas. DCAC and CES teamed up for the sixth annual Back to School backpack drive.
DCAC is a life-changing organization that helps children who have experienced abuse. At this most recent drive-through event, around 20 DCAC and CES Cares volunteers braved high temperatures to hand out backpacks to 515 Dallas-area children in a single day!
“Back to School has been a staple program for DCAC since the beginning,” said DCAC Development Officer Leila Bergquist. “But it has been in the last five years that CES Cares has stepped up to not only provide the supplies families need, but also to provide volunteer support to help stuff, organize, and distribute the supplies to families at DCAC.”
Supplying Essential School Items to Children in Need
“It was a little hotter than usual, but no less fun!” said Bergquist. “We invited families to arrive at the Center at 8 a.m. We worked diligently to get as many families as possible, taking a short break in the afternoon and then continuing until 8 p.m.,” said Bergquist.
Volunteers filled the backpacks with even more necessities: school supplies, garments, after-school snacks, and uniform assistance. These extras are vital to families who need extra support as their children prepare to head back to the classroom.
DCAC expects to distribute 1,300 backpacks by the end of the summer, lifting a significant financial burden off entire families.
“The Family Advocates team at DCAC is responsible for breaking barriers for the youngest victims in Dallas County,” said Bergquist. “Our Back to School program is just another way we can provide for a family that, in turn, provides hope and healing.”
CES Cares Provides Invaluable Service to the DCAC
Volunteers ended the day feeling excited and accomplished after giving out over 500 backpacks.
“We were thrilled to be able to provide items to our school-aged clients and could not have pulled off such a successful event without our fabulous CES Cares volunteers,” said Bergquist.
And volunteers will carry with them the countless smiles of children for a long time.
Karen Gray, Social Impact Manager for CES Cares, said, “Each Back to School drive makes me so proud that we partner with DCAC. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to see the joy on kids’ faces when they pick out their backpacks full of supplies.”
Want to get involved too? DCAC would love to have you join in its mission to improve the lives of abused children in Dallas County.
Bergquist shared, “Every child who walks through our doors leaves feeling safe, heard, and, most importantly, seen. Their smiles keep me coming back to DCAC day in and day out.” For more information about DCAC, its mission, and opportunities to make a difference, please visit DCAC.org. To donate, visit DCAC.org/Donate.