Cub Scouts and School Supplies

Today Charlie and I went with some of his Cub Scout den, to an organization called Crosslines to sort school supplies for kids whose families can't afford them. They help people in poverty or on the verge of poverty to help keep them above the poverty line. They plan to distribute 1700 backpacks full of supplies to kids. When we got there we saw boxes and bags stacked nearly to the ceiling (not kidding, I wish I would have had my camera). Our job was to go through the boxes and bags and sort them by type of supply. Crayons to one area, pencils to another, etc. There was a group of college students there whose job was to organize what we handed them into easily countable boxes. Then other adults were counting them. When they are all sorted and counted, the Crosslines staff will buy whatever else is needed to add to the bags so that each child will get an age appropriate backpack filled with supplies. They thought it would take 3 hours. There was another Boy Scout den there with older boys (about 13-14), a girl scout troop (they seemed about Charlie's age, 8) and some other volunteers. We got done with our sorting in an hour and half. I was so proud of our boys, they did a great job, and never complained. The adults still had to count, but they were making fast work of it as well. I organized this project for our den, because Charlie has been wanting to help kids ever since he watched American Idol Gives Back last winter. I think we will try to do it every year. It felt good to see all the supplies that had been donated. I hope it helps ease the burden for the families who receive them.