COVID-19 and the BACK TO BASICS ANGEL PROGRAM
Watch our video: COVID and the Angel Program
The Back to Basics Angel Program relies heavily on participation and donations from the community.
Last year we provided over 7,500 children with gifts of new sneakers, socks, underwear and a toy during the holidays.
5,500 of the gifts were provided by the community where individuals from churches, businesses and clubs picked names and shopped for the promised gifts.
2,000 of the gifts were provided directly by Back to Basics, where we purchased each of the items in bulk then volunteers wrapped the gifts for each of the children.
This year, with the Covid-19 pandemic, we anticipate that those numbers will change.
With potentially even more children in need, we anticipate significantly less individuals in the community that will be able to adopt and shop for the children, given the social distancing requirements.
Accordingly, we are working on a way to continue the Angel Program and assure the children most in need will still receive the ‘basics’ and gifts for the 2020 holidays.
We are gearing up to purchase even more bulk items to provide at least 5,000+ gifts ‘in house’ (or more if needed).
To accomplish this major effort, we will need the support of the community more than ever through the following initiatives:
- Space – In order to handle the increased volume of gifts that we will be providing in house, we are looking for a temporary, large, open, air-conditioned space, ideally around 3.000 – 5,000 sf near the Wellington area, where we can:
accumulate products as they are purchased,
2. set up a ‘store’ with the shoes, socks, underwear, and toys,
3. set up socially distanced wrapping stations,
4. store completed gift packages to be picked up by the schools for distribution to the children. - Donations – We will need to begin purchasing sneakers, socks, underwear, and toys for 5,000+ children. On average, we can purchase these gifts at a cost of $25-30 per child, so we need donations totaling approximately $125,000 – $150,000 to cover these gifts.
- Donor Shoppers – We are working on a way to distribute names to those who are still interested in adopting individual children, and perhaps shop online, if they cannot go shopping in the stores. Process details to follow.
This space is needed now through the end of December 2020. We are hoping the use of this temporary space will be donated, otherwise, we will need more funding to cover the costs.
Please remember that Back to Basics is an ALL VOLUNTEER organization and ALL the efforts involved in pulling this program together reflect donated time.
All financial donations go directly to purchasing the products and supplies needed.
Donations can be made on our website at www.BacktoBasicsInc.org, or mailed to:
Back to Basics, Inc., 3340 Fairlane Farms Rd., #10, Wellington, FL 33414
For more information, you can reach us at [email protected] or call Kelle Enriquez at 561-702-4527.
