Orphan's Promise Gets Kids Ready for School

As summer draws to an end, parents are beginning their annual back-to-school shopping trips.

Unfortunately, many kids will return to class empty handed because their families just can't afford the school supplies they need.

But thanks to CBN's Orphan Promise, that won't happen to students at one Virginia school.

It was an end of summer celebration at P.B. Young Elementary School in Norfolk, Virginia, complete with hot dogs, chips and drinks.

The indoor picnic is the latest in an ongoing partnership between CBN's Orphan's Promise and the elementary school, located in one of Virginia's poorest neighborhoods.

In December, Orphan's Promise helped to keep nearly 500 students here warm, with coats, hats, scarves and gloves, but the needs keep growing. 

Now, the students at P.B. Young are excited about the start of a new school year. And CBN's Orphan's Promise is making sure they have the tools they need to succeed.

After the party, almost 300 students attending summer school classes got a back-to-school surprise -- backpacks filled with supplies provided by Orphan's Promise and Walmart.

"Education changes the lives of children. That's why we're here at P.B. Young. It's why we believe in what's happening here today," CBN's Terry Meeuwsen, who works with Orphan's Promise, said.

"Let's get them excited about education and give them a heart to start a new year [with a] fresh, new process and see what God has for them," she said.

"I got colored pencils and other pencils, and I got a ruler and erasers and two notebooks," one obviously delighted student said.

The school's principal told CBN News this love and support instills hope in these students and gives them a sense of stability.

"They have people that constantly come and go so it's nice to know that we can depend on an organization like CBN," the principal said. "That's just been awesome."

"All of our children are poverty-level children," one teacher said. "Many of them have nothing or the parents work hard but they don't have the money to buy their children supplies so a lot of these children come to school without supplies.  They don't have pencils; they don't have erasers; they don't have scissors, paper or notebooks. If a child has a backpack, they feel empowered."

So while most kids dread the thought of summer's end, students at P.B. Young can look forward to the new school year armed with everything they need to hit the books.

"Thank you for giving me all the supplies," said one smiling student. "Thank you Orphan's Promise!"