Thanks for your message. I am a concerned member of my church's youth council in the englewood area of Chicago. I just posted a message hoping that I could get a response. Due to the recent violent activity here, we are really trying our best to reach out and help the children get the things they need for school so that they won't drop out for not having what they need or being teased for not having what they need for school. Please let me know of some services that are being offered for this or anything else that I need to know. Thanks so much

I am in need of some donations for school supplies (bookbags, pencils, pens, crayons, etc.) for the community in Chicago (Englewood area). In the past recent months and weeks, there have been an increase in violent activity and my church is not only praying for our youth, we are trying to find ways to encourage them to stay in school and away from trouble. We motivate them through various activities but in particular in the month of August, we hold a "Back to school rally" in which we play games with them, cook, and talk to them to let them know that it is okay to be smart and go to school all of the time, and to stay out of trouble all of the time. At the end of the rally, we distribute bookbags and school supplies for grades Kindergarten through College. Unfortunately, last year, we had such a huge turnout that we didn't have enough school supplies for those excited children and we had to turn them away. In addition, we didn't receive enough donations to fill the bags that we had to distribute. So, I am here to find the "Angels of the internet" to assist me and members of our youth council in donating new bookbags for girls and boys, school supplies, etc. in an effort to make this a success. This is not to give the workers of the community the glory or pat on the back. We see that there is a demand for encouraging our young people as we are living in a crazy time where children think gangs and drugs are the only way out to become successful. We want to give our young people a pat on the back and to tell them that "they are special""they are too good for gangs""they can become whatever they want to be despite of their living conditions.

Thank you so much for your support. Please respond and I will give you the information that I need. God Bless