Getting kids back-to-school ready will be made easier for struggling families next week when School Savvy CQ’s annual pop-up shops start opening their doors across the region.
Now in their third year of running, School Savvy CQ’s project manager Anna Morris said that the team is looking forward to again helping children who are experiencing the impacts of financial strain.
“Every year when we open our doors, we are overwhelmed by the stories that families tell us about how much the School Savvy program has helped them,” she said.
“Some of the situations that people are unexpectedly placed in are just incredible, so if we can help by easing at least one of their financial stressors at this time of year, then that is what we will do.”
The School Savvy pop-up shops will start opening from January 11, with second-hand uniforms and quality basic stationery supplies provided to families at extremely low cost.
School Savvy opens at CQU Bundaberg
The Bundaberg pop-up shop will be held at the CQUniversity Drama Barn on University Drive, a new venue from previous years.
Anna said that the School Savvy team were grateful to CQUniversity for providing vital support by supplying the venue free of charge.
“School Savvy CQ is a 100 percent community funded initiative, so financial support provided by businesses and organisations is really what makes our pop-up shops possible,” said Anna.
“In previous years we have assisted more than 1,000 children across the region, which really tells us that there is a huge need for this in our community.”
Anna said that some changes have been made to how the pop-up shops will be run for 2021, to ensure that full COVID-safety precautions are taken.
“We have tried our hardest to keep any impacts of these changes to a minimum, and by now we hope that everyone is used to the ‘new normal’, like providing their contact details before entry.”
Anyone wanting further information on the School Savvy pop-up shops can check the program’s Facebook page, or call CentacareCQ on 1300 523 985.
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