Bridging Hope for Children and Families
Karen Graham
2022년 1월 22일
As a young girl growing up in a low-income neighborhood in Reston, Elizabeth Ford vividly remembers feeling the constant pang of hunger.
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After collecting donations for over three months, BetterALife held its annual backpack giveaway on Aug. 10, providing about 750 backpacks to students.
The nonprofit, led by Purcellville resident Elizabeth Ford, provided about 390 backpacks to students in its Reston center and about 350 in Purcellville, Ford said.
"This is our fourth year doing this and every year, the need is increasing," she said. "We are seeing so many new people this year."
Ford said her goal is to take the "load off the parents" and make things a little easier by providing back-to-school supplies.
"We are so grateful to be able to do this for them," she said.
In addition to backpacks and school supplies, BetterALife offers programs such as a food pantry, food deliveries to families in need, paying off school lunch debt, and “InspireALife” and “Cook4ALife,” which are designed to mentor kids and assist with tutoring and college applications.
From its storefront at 201 N. Maple Ave. in Purcellville, the nonprofit also provides shoes and clothing and instruction on how to cook from food pantry items.