By Lisa Capobianco Staff Writer About 50 families in need walk through the doors of Southington Community Services on a daily basis to receive bags of food and other donations, according to Assistant Mark Fasarrelli. In response to this growing need, The Giving Back Girls, a local community involvement group, decided to lend more than a dozen hands. Created in 2010 by soon-to-be high school freshman Erin Gibney, The Giving Back Girls took over the Southington Smart Start Program last year, giving more than 350 backpacks to children in need throughout the town. Each backpack has school supplies, gift cards to Walmart and gift certificates for a haircut. With the mentorship of The Arc of Southington, a nonprofit organization that supports people with disabilities, The Giving Back Girls now collect back-to-school supplies to fill each backpack they donate. This year the back-to-school program will take place August 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and August 21 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Derynoski Elementary School. The girls’ commitment brings a smile to everyone who works at Southington Community Services. “We wouldn’t be able to do this on our own,” Fasarelli said. “We’d be lost without all the help [...]
By Lisa Capobianco Staff Writer About 50 families in need walk through the doors of Southington Community Services on a daily basis to receive bags of food and other donations, according to Assistant Mark Fasarrelli. In response to this growing need, The Giving Back Girls, a local community involvement group, decided to lend more than a dozen hands. Created in 2010 by soon-to-be high school freshman Erin Gibney, The Giving Back Girls took over the Southington Smart Start Program last year, giving more than 350 backpacks to children in need throughout the town. Each backpack has school supplies, gift cards to Walmart and gift certificates for a haircut. With the mentorship of The Arc of Southington, a nonprofit organization that supports people with disabilities, The Giving Back Girls now collect back-to-school supplies to fill each backpack they donate. This year the back-to-school program will take place August 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and August 21 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Derynoski Elementary School. The girls’ commitment brings a smile to everyone who works at Southington Community Services. “We wouldn’t be able to do this on our own,” Fasarelli said. “We’d be lost without all the help [...]
