As the final bells are ringing on the school year the School Savvy CQ program is already preparing to help those less fortunate who are wondering how they’ll afford to send their kids back to school.
Christmas is a tough time for people who are struggling financially and with 2022 booklists starting to be sent home as school winds up the January back-to-school period isn’t far from their minds.
CentacareCQ’s Shari Jackson, who runs the School Savvy CQ program in the Bundaberg region, said that while the end of the year was a happy time for some, the stress and anxiety of sending kids back to school in the new year was a growing concern for many.
“We see so many anxious parents and caregivers walk through the doors of the back-to-school pop-up shops that we run in January,” Shari said.
“For a lot of them it’s extremely overwhelming to think about all of the uniforms and stationery items that they’ll need to find the money to purchase.
“Our pop-up shops are really there to support those people in purchasing their essential items in a way that they can afford, everything in our shops is all extremely low-cost.”
The School Savvy CQ pop-up shops open the week beginning January 10 and will be popping up in Bundaberg, Childers and Gin Gin.
The pop-up shops stock quality second-hand uniforms donated by the community, and brand new stationery supplies purchased through local business sponsorship.
Uniform donations from all schools are now being accepted, with many convenient drop off points located throughout the region.
“This is our first year taking the pop-up shops to Gin Gin and Childers, which we’re really excited about,” Shari said.
“We’ll be opening our Childers pop-up shop on January 13 from 8am at the Isis State High School Sports Stadium, and our Gin Gin shop will be opening on January 11 from 9am at Gin Gin State School.
“Bundaberg’s pop-up shop will be held at the Recreational Precinct within the Showgrounds and will be open all week from January 10.”
In January 2021 thousands of locals attended the School Savvy CQ pop-up shops.
To find out more information or to see your nearest donation point, head to the website here.
Other stories: ‘Miss Chappy’ role one of many for Gin Gin’s Leanne