An Ajijic family has started a grass roots school supplies project because they believe children shouldn’t miss school just for lacking something so simple as a pencil, notebook or white shirt.
“It’s not right. There are too many kids missing school because their parents are in a situation where they can’t afford the basic supplies required by the schools,” says Andrea Gonzalez. “We were helped, so we want to do the same for others.”
The original idea was to help just the kids in the same school as their children. “But word got out, and people started coming to us for help. Now we are at 250 school kids,” says Antonio Gonzalez, Andrea’s husband.
“Luckily, my wife and I are from here and know who really needs the help, and who is already getting help elsewhere.”
The Gonzalez family is asking for donations of notebooks, lined, double lined and graph, pens, both blue and black ink, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, white glue, glue sticks, highlighters, colored pencils, white blank paper, (letter size) backpacks, and anything else that you can imagine for the classroom. All these items are readily available at stores at Lakeside.
Donations can be dropped off at the Quattro Gallery (Colon 9, Ajijic) from Monday to Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; at the Guadalajara Reporter office in Plaza Bugambilias from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; or with the Gonzalez family at Zaragoza Poniente 24, anytime.
Sunday, July 21 is the last day to donate, when the family will be collecting items on the Ajijic Plaza from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A variety of musicians will be playing live and there will be surprises.
“We hope everyone can come, make a donation, and enjoy the day with us,” says Antonio Gonzalez.
All the school supplies will be divided up and packaged, to be handed out the following Sunday, also on the Ajijic Plaza. If the Gonzalez family has more supplies than there are kids on the list, they will find more children who need them.