SVDP Sponsor Back-to-School Shopping for Poor Kids

San Mateo County school children went shopping for back-to-school duds Saturday with $100 gift cards provided by Mervyn’s and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

The stores opened an extra hour early for the youths, who were chaperoned by St. Vincent de Paul volunteers, as part of Mervyn’s’ annual ChildSpree program benefiting 7-to-16-year-old children from poor families.

Volunteer Helen Ortiz of San Mateo helped Horrall Elementary School student Angel Valtoo buy a bag of goods almost too big for the cherub-like fourth-grader to carry. The happy little shopper beamed as the cashier rang up two shirts, a pair of jeans, socks, a belt, and a pair of Nike sneakers for his rapidly growing feet.

“It gives us so much pleasure to help the needy children. We know the parents can’t afford all this stuff,” said Ortiz, a veteran of the event that’s a favorite among St. Vincent de Paul volunteers. “We’re sorry we can’t accommodate more, but we can only help so many.”

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