Page 121 - 2018 B2SI Recap Binder

these students' educational needs. Hundreds of military families were able to get the supplies at the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria.
This was part of a statewide initiative aimed at serving the families of active and reserve members of all branches of the US military. Items were donated to Operation Homefront who then made kits for the kids or let the families choose which supplies to take home...all to give military families a helping hand.
"Sometimes they are made to go places and be away from their families and stuff so it is sort of a kick-off to help them get settled in and any additional help that they could possibly need," said Kim Crouch, the airman and family program manager.
""Buying all these things in the store last year i spent about $300 just for some of it, right now this is a big help for us because it's money i don't really have at the moment," said Sharon Ramos, a Navy family member.
Organizers say they had over 250 kits made and they were able to serve families from across the state.
WMAQ-TV (NBC 5): 8/8/18
Kids in Need Get School Supplies in Back-to-School Giveaway
Over a five-hour period, 10,000 kids arrive to pick up school supply kits. Scissors, glue, notebooks
offloaded from four trucks parked in Edgewater. Four thousand more of the kits will be put back on
trucks by Back-to-School Illinois volunteers and go out to other distribution sites in the city and the
suburbs.
(Published Wednesday, Aug 8, 2018)
WLS-TV (ABC Chicago): 8/8/18
Back 2 School Illinois holds school supplies giveaway By Jessica D'Onofrio
Wednesday, August 08, 2018
CHICAGO (WLS) --
Students got their hands on brand new school supplies in one of the biggest giveaways in the city Wednesday morning.