The start of a new school year can be an exciting time, but it can also be a highly stressful time for kids in need. Oakwood Management Company’s community development committee, Oakwood Cares, took it upon themselves to make that start of the school year a little easier by organizing a school supply drive for the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus. The supplies were collected over several weeks at Oakwood’s corporate office as well as the dozens of property locations in the area. Supplies included pens, pencils, highlighters, notebooks, backpacks, and other standard school supplies that kids of all ages will need to succeed.
The Boys and Girls Club of Columbus is a nonprofit organization benefiting youth ages 6 to 18 in the Columbus area. Its roots go back to 1948 when a boys club was founded to give boys a safe place to hang out. Today, the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus has over 5,900 youth members in the Central Ohio area, providing those involved with programs for teens, academic success, healthy lifestyles, and leadership. The mission of the organization is to “empower young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.”
Oakwood Cares is a company-wide initiative to support the employees, residents, and communities that Oakwood Management Company is a part of. Various charitable drives are organized throughout the year, along with events for employees and communities that support healthy lifestyles and better well-being. In a world where you can be anything, Oakwood Cares strives to be kind.
In a thank you letter from CEO Rebecca Asmo, the Club is described as “a source of hope, inspiration, and motivation for thousands of Columbus kids.” The Club further supports academic success through programs that include homework help “power hours,” summer learning programs, and STEM programs. By supporting young people’s academic growth, the Club helps to contribute to their long-term success and career development.
Students should be able to focus on their studies, not whether or not they have the right supplies to get their homework done. Oakwood Cares wanted to support the mission of developing the members of the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus into well-rounded citizens, and thus decided to provide the supplies necessary for academic achievement.
To find out more about the Boys and Girls Club of Columbus and how you can support them, visit their website here.