My children have returned to school, so our family is back to the structured, school-year routine that we hunger for in August but happily abandon in May.

I thought we had all the needed school supplies, but some additional items were added to the list, so we had to return to the store again. It was inconvenient only in making time to run the errand, not in purchasing the items.  I note that because this is one of the times of year I see a starkness between families who struggle financially and those who don't.

Buying new clothing, school supplies and paying for activity fees is easy for some of us but burdensome for others. We see many working families at our food pantries who are living on a meager income and just barely squeaking by. These August purchases set them back, which is why CCSC created the "Back To School" program in 1986.

This year we gave 6,518 needy children brand new school supplies and clothing, and below is a picture of some of the supplies. At the event, I visited with a 5th grade girl who was bursting with happiness. She told me she was excited to go home and organize the supplies and couldn't wait to meet her teacher. I thought of her on Monday, when HISD classes began, hoping her first day went well.

Thank you to the many in our community who volunteered at the event and/or sponsored a student.  And thanks to the many in our community who support the food pantries, employment programs and other areas of CCSC. Our organization is strong because of the many individuals who support it.

Happy Labor Day!