Backpack collection gets students off to good start

Photo courtesy of Congregational Church of Plainville

Members of the Congregational Church of Plainville prepare to fill 27 backpacks with school supplies for children in need.

A group of 27 backpacks and school materials was blessed by the Rev. Dr. Claire Bamberg during the Aug. 17 worship service at the Congregational Church of Plainville, United Church of Christ.

The backpacks had been donated during the annual collection. The Congregational Church of Plainville is part of the Covenant to Care for Children's Adopt a Social Worker program which matches individual religious congregations of any faith tradition with a State of Connecticut child protective services social worker. The purpose of the match is to support the social worker and to meet the unmet needs of abused, neglected, and severely impoverished children in the local community. At this time of year, the need is for new backpacks and school supplies so that the children are well equipped to start the new school year.

This is the fourth year that the Mission-Social Action Committee at the church has organized the gathering of new backpacks and school materials. The members and friends of the church filled the backpacks following the worship service.