Roughley Insurance Brokers Ltd. and Simcoe Hall Settlement House are Gearing up for Back to School
It’s that time of year again when it seems everyone is gearing up for back-to-school. The Simcoe Hall Settlement House and Roughley Insurance Brokers Ltd. are getting ready in a big way.
Simcoe Hall Settlement House, located in Oshawa at 387 Simcoe Street South, has begun their annual Backpacks for Success program. The program services primary, junior, high school and some college students who are going to school but may not be able to afford the supplies they need to succeed.
Lisa Storrey (far L), & Wanda Smith (far R) with Mark Shuwera & Pat Savage of Settlement House
“This program has been spearheaded by McGraw Hill Education, who this year collected 289 backpacks filled with school supplies. With the additional support from our friends at Roughley Insurance and other community partners, we have been able to push the number of backpacks to over 350,” said Mark Shuwera, Executive Director, Simcoe Hall Settlement House. “Each year the demand is greater.”
The team at Roughley Insurance learned of this program and reached out to contribute. The response from the community and businesses like Roughley Insurance Brokers Ltd. goes a long way in meeting the growing demand in the community for school supplies, especially at this time of the year.
This year, Roughley Insurance Brokers Ltd. contributed $1000 worth of supplies to fill the backpacks including pens, paper, duo tangs, pencil crayons, calculators and the list goes on. Lisa Storey and Wanda Smith, part of the Employee Committee at Roughley Insurance Brokers Ltd. were in charge of this community give back campaign.
Roughley Social Committee gives the gift of success to Oshawa students.
“Employees just kept bringing in donations, up to the very last minute they could,” said Ms. Storey. “We have a strong connection with Simcoe Hall Settlement House. This isn’t the only initiative we participate in with them.” The response from the staff and management at Roughley Insurance Brokers Ltd. was overwhelming.
Jim Roughley, Owner and Broker of Roughley Insurance Brokers Ltd., explained why he participates to initiatives like the Backpacks for Success Program: “I know that some students in this community simply can’t afford school supplies. Every child should be able to get an education and have the supplies they need to succeed. This is a way for me to give back to the community and help the people who need it.” Roughley Insurance Brokers Ltd. and the Employee Committee organizes community give back programs throughout the year.
“I was born and raised in Oshawa. I’m taken care of and I work for good people. I want to help the people in this community who weren’t given the same opportunities that I was,” said Ms. Storey when asked why she and her colleagues contribute to programs like Backpacks for Success.
People throughout the community have come to know about the Backpack for Success program from previous years. The Simcoe Hall Settlement House does not pick who the backpacks go to, but instead there is an open-call for any student who needs to take advantage of the program. Pat Savage, a long-time volunteer and coordinator of the Backpacks for Success Program with the Simcoe Hall Settlement House, works tirelessly to put together the backpacks targeted to different age groups so that everyone can get the most use from the supplies they are given.
“We do what we can for all ages,” explained Mr. Shuwera.
About Simcoe Hall Settlement House:
Simcoe Hall Settlement House is a not-for-profit community resource centre dedicated, since 1935, to assisting children, families and vulnerable adults whose lives are affected by poverty. For more information about the Simcoe Hall Settlement House and to find ways that you can contribute please visit www.simcoehall.com.