To kick off the new school year, the IRC in Denver hosted its inaugural Back to School Drive and Giveaway in July. This event was a fantastic opportunity for families to select bikes, bike safety supplies, backpacks filled with school essentials, toys, and books. Additionally, families engaged with staff about car seat safety, school enrollment guides, and bike safety and maintenance, thanks to the wonderful support of the local non-profit, Bikes Together.

Months of Planning and Preparation

The event was the culmination of months of hard work and planning. Starting in April, the IRC in Denver's operations team, volunteer coordinator, and youth education staff worked tirelessly to ensure everything was in place. A two-week drive in early July helped gather enough donations to meet the needs of all registered attendees. Golden Optimists, for example, donated eight bikes, as well as pumps, locks, and helmets. Additionally, the event was marketed extensively to donors and clients through fliers, text messages, and a registration link translated into eight different languages in order to reach families across Denver and Aurora public schools, the Cherry Creek as well as Jeffco, and Adams county school districts.

A Day to Remember

The event was a hit among clients, volunteers, and staff alike. With 128 individuals registered, and 50+ families attending, the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement. The event served clients from various IRC in Denver programs, including the Survivors of Torture program, Resettlement & Placement program, “Walk-in” clients, and past Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA) clients. The IRC in Denver recruited five prep day volunteers and eight event day volunteers, whose efforts were crucial to the event’s success. The day before the event, volunteers packed 81 backpacks to ensure a smooth distribution process.

"This event was a great way to get many donated goods out to our clients,"

says Mary Alice Kukoski, the IRC in Denver's Integration Casework Supervisor and adds:

"the best part was to see all the smiling faces and kids riding their bikes around the parking lot."

Stations and Activities

Multiple stations were set up to guide clients through the event, including a registration station, bike shop, school supply and backpack station, school enrollment support, toy and book shop, and a Bikes Together station for bike safety. Families received reusable shopping bags to “shop” for items, choosing two books and four toys per child. In just 40 minutes, all 46 donated bikes were given away, thanks to volunteers David and Kathleen Gomendi, who not only collected the bikes, but also refurbished them.

A Heartwarming Outcome

By the end of the event, 123 filled backpacks and hundreds of toys were distributed. In total, 979 items were given out, valued at almost $5.000.

“Everyone got to leave with something,”

noted the IRC in Denver's Supply Chain Coordinator Darren Stapleton.

Looking Ahead

The Back-to-School Drive and Giveaway was a collaborative effort across IRC in Denver teams, volunteers, and community members. As the first of its kind, the IRC in Denver is already planning improvements for a future even bigger event, discussing distribution systems, event logistics, and client outreach and wants to thank everyone who made this event a success!

Written by Hanna Simmons