Jordan’s Donates to Cradles to Crayons’ Annual Ready for School Program
AUGUST 26, 2019, BOSTON, MA—From June 10 through August 18, all Jordan’s Furniture store locations and the Taunton Distribution Center collected new and like-new clothing and shoes in support of Cradles to Crayons’® Ready for School program—which provides local low-income and homeless children with the essential items needed for a successful school year. Thanks to the generosity of customers, the Jordan’s Furniture donation will help over 3,500 local children start their school year prepared and dressed for success, from head to toe. A delivery of the donation from Jordan’s Furniture to the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory took place on Friday, August 23.
“I remember the first day of school when I was a kid,” says Eliot Tatelman, President/CEO of Jordan’s Furniture. “It is so important to be prepared and with so many kids right here in our communities who are in need, we are thrilled to be able to deliver a truck filled with donations to the Cradles to Crayons’ Giving Factory.” He concludes, “The donations from our wonderful customers come at a crucial time of year, when so many ready-for-school items have already been distributed. It means a lot to us that this collaboration with Cradles to Crayons is impactful to the children throughout the state. We are proud to be a partner!”
“We work with children who are DCF involved and often don’t have many items of their own,” said Wendy Riley, Children’s Services of Roxbury. “Getting a backpack or clothing to start the school year gives some of them a sense of pride and makes them feel that they can be equal to their peers. Kids just do not want to feel different or left out. Cradles to Crayons makes a difference in the lives of the children we serve.”
Cradles to Crayons is committed to the belief that “Quality=Dignity,” ensuring all distributed essentials meet high–quality standards so kids will feel comfortable with their peers and can focus on learning. Volunteers at the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory help sort, inspect, and assemble donations into individually-tailored “KidPacks” that go directly to local children through the organization’s network of more than 130 Service Partners including agencies such as MSPCC, Horizons for Homeless Children, Head Start Programs and more. This latest donation from Jordan’s Furniture marks the seventh year of this integral partnership, which has helped more than 20,000 children to date.
“We want all children to start the school year feeling confident, excited and focused, and the right resources will allow them to focus on academic engagement and success,” said Cradles to Crayons Founder and CEO Lynn Margherio. “I am deeply grateful to Jordan’s and to their customers for providing clothing, shoes, and other items for kids in our communities. This partnership continues to be an important source of support for our Ready for School program and for the children we serve.”
For more information about all of Cradles to Crayons’ programs, visit www.cradlestocrayons.org. To find out more about all of Jordan’s Furniture’s philanthropic initiatives, visit www.jordans.com.
About Cradles to Crayons
Cradles to Crayons launched in Boston in 2002 and has operations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The nonprofit provides children from birth through age 12 facing Clothing Insecurity with the essential items they need to thrive—at home, at school, and at play. They supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities. Cradles to Crayons mobilizes communities to collect and donate new and gently used high-quality children’s items. The organization engages thousands of youth and adults each year in tangible service activities that benefit local children in need. For more information, please visit www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston/.
About Jordan’s Furniture
Jordan’s Furniture is a 6-store retail company that is known for combining entertainment with shopping, creating a customer experience like no other. There are stores in Reading, MA, Natick, MA, Avon, MA, Nashua, NH, Warwick, RI, and New Haven, CT. Each one has its own unique brand of entertainment: IMAX Theaters, indoor adventure ropes courses, laser water shows, an iconic holiday “village,” a city made of jellybeans, full-service restaurants and more. The company is also known for incorporating philanthropy into its business model, with donation programs running year-round that benefit local and regional charities. Jordan’s Furniture, originally a family owned and operated company, is owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
###