On August 18, Atlanta Women’s Foundation member Betsy Vos Reeves organized a Backpacks and Barbeque event to support young refugees starting school for the first time in America. Betsy and fellow community members coordinated a drive for new and gently-used backpacks and school supplies which they then sorted and assembled, so they were ready to be distributed by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Atlanta.
Atlanta community members assemble backpacks full of school supplies for refugee students.
Photo: IRC Atlanta
More than fifty percent of refugees resettled annually by the IRC in Atlanta are children, and IRC case managers ensure that every child receives a backpack with age-appropriate supplies during their first week in the U.S., so that they’re prepared to start school. Thanks to the generosity of Betsy and her community we have enough supplies to provide backpacks for our newly-arriving students as well as students who have been in Atlanta for over a year—so far everyone has been thrilled with their back-to-school supplies!
Community members donated a generous amount of supplies and assembled more than 70 backpacks!
Photo: IRC Atlanta
The IRC in Atlanta is grateful for the support of Betsy Vos Reeves and the Atlanta Women’s Foundation and for their dedication to making refugees welcome in Georgia. If you would like to donate or host a similar event, please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Duncan de la Feld, at 678 636 8928 or Duncan.Delafeld [at] Rescue.org.
To learn more about the work of the IRC in Atlanta and for information on how you can get involved with the IRC as a donor or volunteer, please contact Senior Development Manager, Kalie Lasiter, at Kalie.Lasiter [at] Rescue.org or 678-636-8941.
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