As families across the Coastal Bend do their back-to-school shopping, families at the Salvation Army shelter in Corpus Christi are getting some help so they can take on the same task.
"It's truly one of the most fun things we get to do every year," Cpt. Patrick Gessner of the Salvation Army said. "I really love it every year."
He's talking about the shopping spree his organization is making possible for the 40 children in the shelter right now. The goal is to raise $10,000 so that each kid will be able to get a $250 gift card to spend at the JC Penney store at La Palmera mall next Friday.
"We want to make sure that when they go to school, their friends don't know what's going on, they don't know that they're in a shelter," Gessner said.
The Robinson family came to the shelter a couple of weeks ago.
"My husband recently lost his job, and because of that the car got [repossessed] which made him not be able to find another job," Jenifer Robinson said. "We lived in Aransas Pass, so we lost the house."
Robinson says the family-of-five is getting back on their feet, but the expense of back-to-school shopping is a burden. But her oldest daughter, 11 year old McKinzye, is about to start sixth grade where kids can be cruel about how you dress.
"People who have [name brand] clothes [they put] pressure on people who don't really have that much clothes like that," the younger Robinson said.
Captain Gessner is hopeful that enough donations will come in so they can reach their $250 per child shopping spree goal. You can make donations in person at the Salvation Army or mail it to them at 521 Josephine Street, Corpus Christi, TX, 78401. If you'd like to make a donation by credit card online, click here .
