Monday, June 29, 2015

J Cuts in Shelton launches 9th annual book bag drive

Pictured from left Tylice MacDonald, LNV Parent Child Resource Center; Jennifer Sneider, owner, J Cuts; and Karen Martinez, Child FIRST Care Coordinator, LNV Parent Child Resource Center. 
Back row: Jen DeLeon, Boys & Girls Club of the LNV; Jane Bailey, Shelton School Readiness Council; and Suzanne Reilly, Director of Family Support Services, TEAM Inc. / Contributed photo from 2014 drive
SHELTON - J Cuts launches 9th Annual Book Bag & School Supply drive in the Valley.
Between now and Aug. 21, book bags and school supplies are being collected around the Valley.
Last year, more than 100 book bags and an abundance of back to school supplies were collected.
This drive, originally started by the owners of Luther’s Garage, which is now closed, continues on an annual basis through Jennifer Sneider, owner of J Cuts, located at 505 Howe Ave.

J Cuts is the main collection location. Supplies may include book bags, book covers, rulers, pens, pencils, erasers, notebooks, binders, glue, crayons, calculators, pencil sharpeners, paper and folders. 
Supplies are collected for all school-aged children from pre-school to high school. All book bags and supplies must be brand new.

“The outpouring of kindness within the community always warms my heart,” said Sneider. “So many people stop by to drop off donations. Many of my customers do not hesitate to hand me five or 10 dollars so I can pick up what we are falling short on. It is amazing how 
it all balances out for children in need!”

Supplies are also being collected at Barb's Corner Consignment, 25 West Main St., Ansonia, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. Saturdays.

Minuteman Press, 427B Howe Ave., donated collection posters once again.

Last year, for the third year in a row, the Shelton Lions Club collected book bags and supplies during free summer concerts held Wednesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. on the Huntington Green.

In addition, Rehabilitation Associates, Inc. at 1931 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield, and the First United Methodist Church in Shelton held their own collections last year to help make the drive a success.

As an added bonus last year, coordinators of the drive were contacted by Jackie Romaniuk, Dental Health Care Specialist with the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership, the dental plan for HUSKY Health. They provided oral kits each containing a tooth brush, toothpaste, floss and oral health education.
Other local businesses and organizations are invited and encouraged to join in by holding collections of their own to add to the donations.

Children receiving donations from the community drive last year are serviced by TEAM Inc.in Derby, along with the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Shelton School Readiness Program and the Lower Naugatuck Valley Parent Resource Center, all in Shelton, and BHcare in Ansonia.

J Cuts is also the main collection location for the Annual Monkey Love Valentine Drive. The 10th Annual Drive will begin Jan 1, 2016 but donations are accepted at any time. For safety and allergy reasons, donations must be new, stuffed monkeys with tags.

The monkey drive benefits the same groups of children in need as the Back to School Book Bag & School Supply Drive.

For more information on either community drive, call Jennifer Sneider at J Cuts, 203-924-4107.


This is a press release from J Cuts.

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