Town Seeks Help Funding ‘Back to School’ Gift Card Program

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Town officials say they’re planning to help qualified families with the high cost of back-to-school shopping. 

As it does each summer, the New Canaan Human Services Department is hoping to provide families in need with Walmart and Target gift cards, though more fundraising is needed to hit the agency’s goal, Youth and Family Services Coordinator Jacqueline D’Louhy said. 

“We’re just asking for Walmart or Target cards because they have everything that someone could get,” D’Louhy said. “At the elementary schools, they have kits you need to purchase which can cost a lot. With this extra money, the families could purchase a pair of sneakers or any additional school supplies for their kids.”

In all, the municipal department is planning to give out 75 cards of $100 value each, she said. Any small amount of money would be helpful, she said. 

“We don’t expect someone to donate $100, that is a lot of money,” D’Louhy said. “But if people could give money in increments of $25, that would be great.”

As of this week, less than $200 has been raised toward the $7,500 goal.

To receive a school gift card, families must qualify, D’Louhy said.

“The families provide current financial information such as income and bank statements, proof of any state programs they receive and their current lease and mortgage,” she said. “They update this information once a year unless their income changes within that year.”

Currently, many families are on vacation so D’Louhy said she hopes they’ll “start seeing those emails in the beginning of August and an influx of donations at that time.”

The program has been going on for more than 20 years, D’Louhy said. In the past, the town would give backpacks with school supplies to the kids, but found the kids wanted to choose their own supplies. 

“They want to pick the color of their backpacks while still having it last a couple of years,” she said. “With school supplies costs going up, you can no longer get a notebook for a dollar or two dollars. It’s now five dollars and more. Their supplies lists can get bigger depending on their teacher so we just want to help these families out.”

The department also provides families with supplies they can’t get with food stamp cards. 

“We have this back room that is filled with things like toiletries, shampoo and toothpaste,” D’Louhy said. “We’re providing families with these extra supplies because we know those costs have gone up.”

Uncertainty about federal funding for human services programs is worrying, D’Louhy said, especially with respect to programs that cover food and healthcare.

“It’s scary because these families have already seen costs go up for everything and it’s going to be problematic for their households,” she said.

D’Louhy said she hopes the town “will get the cards out to families at least a week or two before school starts.”

She added: “The families are always so appreciative. Even if we don’t hear from them directly, we do talk to them throughout the year and receive thank you emails. Sometimes the families send me a picture of their kids with their new school supplies or on their first day and that always feels great.”

The department also helps the families by giving them gift cards on the holidays to purchase presents for the kids, or hosting movies at the Playhouse, D’Louhy said.

“You know, I do think this is such a generous community,” she said. “We do this program because we want to offer assistance to our families in any way. I think we’ve tailored it to not purchasing stuff for the kids, but giving them a bit more freedom to decide what they actually want.”

To donate to the back-to-school supplies program: Drop off a Walmart or Target gift card in a $25, $50, $75, or $100 increment at the Human Services Annex (behind Town Hall). Or, select “Back to School” from the Human Services Donation Portal.