2017 Derby Back-to-School Clothing

Derby, as the signs say entering it, is "Connecticut's Smallest City."  It is home to  nearly 13,000 people packed into just  5.2 square miles, giving Derby the distinction of being the 14th most densely populated community in all of Connecticut, just behind Connecticut's major cities.

Because of this Derby faces many of the same challenges as Connecticut's major cities like New Haven and Bridgeport but with a lot less resources at its disposal to overcome them.

One of those difficulties is the level of poverty that exists in its schools. 

The number of students participating in the federal  federal free or reduced lunch program is an accepted instrument for measuring the level of poverty in a school district. According to figures provided by the Superintendent, for the 2016-2017 school year 7 out of 10 students in the Derby schools meet the guidelines and participate in the federal free or reduced lunch program. That means 70% of the students come from families struggling to put food on the table and make ends meet.

One of the outworkings of such poverty is that many families cannot afford to purchase back-to-school clothing for their students.

Four years ago, after hearing stories of students returning back to school in pants that were too short, shirts that were badly worn and shoes and backpacks in such a state of dispair they barely carried out their function,  Walnut Hill Community Church's Derby Campus began providing back-to-school clothing assistance to students in the Derby Public Schools.

We provide each student with $100 in back-to-school clothing items such as shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, shoes, backpack, jacket, etc.

Our goal this year is to provide back-to-school clothing for at least 100 of the students referred to us for assistance. To meet our goal, we need to raise at least $10,000.  We cannot do that without your help.

While Derby has its challenges, one of it's brighest spots are  its kindhearted and compassionate residents who often sacrifically help others in need in the community. 

This Go Fund Me page was started so that such residents would have the opportunity to make a real and significant difference in the life of a child.

Maybe you're such a person? Would you donate to help us provide assistance to the students in the Derby public schools?

Need more incentive, check out our Facebook page to see the difference you can make.

https://www.facebook.com/derbybacktoschool/

Thank you in advance for your consideration and I hope for your generousity.

Pastor Walt Mayhew
Campus Pastor
Derby Campus
Walnut Hill Community Church
www.walnuthillcc.org/derby-campus