Westgate Mall Hosts School Supply Drive for School on Wheels of Massachusetts

Westgate Mall Hosts School Supply Drive for

School on Wheels of Massachusetts

Now through August 28, 2022

BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS (August 2022) - Westgate Mall is hosting a School Supply Drive for School on Wheels of Massachusetts through August 28, 2022. Donations can be dropped off in the marked donation bin at Fusion Dolls in Westgate Mall, Brockton, MA.

Donations of need include new, unused backpacks, pencils & pencil sharpeners, blue or black inked pens, pencil pouches, glue sticks, highlighters, plastic rulers, washable markers, composition notebooks and more. 100% of the proceeds will benefit School on Wheels of Massachusetts, whose mission is to support the academic, social, and emotional growth of students impacted by homelessness. Virtual donations to purchase school supplies can be made at SOWMA.BluSchoolSupplies.com.

"There are 24,000 children who are experiencing homelessness in our state and the average age of a homeless person is 8 years old. With over 7,000 backpack requests, our backpack program makes a difference to each one of these children. Going into school with a grade level prepared backpack full of needed school supplies helps set a positive tone for these children when they enter the classroom and allows them to start the year on the same playing field as everyone else. For the children we serve, it is the difference between choosing a meal or educational needs. We do not want anyone to have to make this choice," explains Barbara Fox, Community Outreach Director for School on Wheels.

“We are pleased to support School on Wheels to help children experiencing homelessness receive the supplies they need for success in the school year,” says Rebekah Macchia, Marketing Director for Westgate Mall. For more information, visit ShopatWestgateMall.com.

About School on Wheels of Massachusetts

School on Wheels of Massachusetts (SOWMA) was founded in 2004 to bring one-on-one academic support to children struggling to stay on track and in school while experiencing homelessness. Since the start of the 2020/2021 academic year, SOWMA has distributed more than 6,000 new customized, grade-level backpacks to children and at-risk youth living in 38 Massachusetts communities. Trained volunteers provide one-on-one tutoring to 280 students at 18 program site locations from Boston to the South Coast. The Bridge Mentoring Program provides 57 high school and college-age students with a volunteer mentor, who shepherds students through high school and onto post-secondary plans, including college, vocational training, and jobs.

For more information, visit SOWMA.Org.

Westgate Mall

Westgate Mall, an enclosed regional mall in Brockton, Massachusetts, features Burlington, Best Buy Outlet Planet Fitness, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Old Navy, and Staples, plus a mix of more than 60 specialty stores including Verizon and XFINITY Store by Comcast, Bath and Body Works, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Famous Footwear, The Children’s Place, and Rue21. Eateries include Chipotle, Buffalo Wild Wings, IHOP and Auntie Anne’s/Carvel/Cinnabon and more. Market Basket is also on-site. Westgate Mall is located at the intersection of Routes 24 and 27 in Brockton and accessible via the Brockton Area Transit Authority. For directions and additional information, visit ShopatWestgateMall.com. Westgate Mall is a New England Development shopping destination.

New England Development

For over forty years, New England Development has taken a creative, entrepreneurial approach to real estate development and management - delivering and sustaining successful projects across a wide range of property types. These projects transform complex challenges into preferred locations, generate long-term value to communities, afford compelling opportunities for local and national businesses, and offer sought-after experiences to a wide range of consumers.

The company is acclaimed for creating some of the country's most widely-recognized and successful regional centers, as well as multifaceted developments that combine retail, residential, hotel, and office uses. Outlet centers, high-end and street-front retail, airport retail, golf courses, restaurants, and marinas round out New England Development's robust portfolio. For more information, visit NEDevelopment.com.

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