Peggy’s Attic shares backpack bounty with foster kids

Their excitement grew as they went through piles of new backpacks Wednesday morning, searching for the perfect one.

“This one, mom,” an elementary- school-age girl said in Spanish as she grabbed a pink backpack, only to drop it in favor of one with Minnie Mouse.

She slung the Minnie backpack over her shoulder and kept it there.

“The difference for the children is that they get to pick out a new backpack,” said Audrey Rosenstein, manager of Peggy’s Attic near the Child Haven campus. “For the families, it is another level of support that we can offer.”

Peggy’s Attic, the donation center for the Clark County Department of Family Services, held a community backpack and school supply drive during the past couple of months.

On Wednesday, it distributed the backpacks collected to children in the foster care system and to those in families working with Family Services.

The families also received a box of food and water donated by Three Square food bank. And Peggy’s Attic partnered with organizations, such as Fostering Southern Nevada and Foster Kinship to provide families with information about other resources available in the community.

Last year, Peggy’s Attic was able to distribute 325 backpacks.

On Wednesday it hoped to give away more than 250.

When children are removed from their homes, they often are not able to take anything with them, Rosenstein said.

“We are always in need,” she said.

Mary Ann Pochowski, 63, has been a foster parent off and on for 36 years. “These children come to us with virtually nothing,” she said. “This is huge for people.”

Dan Williams, chief operating officer for Three Square, said the food bank decided to partner with Peggy’s Attic “to take one less stress” off the shoulders of needy families.

“The idea is to lighten the burden of these families,” he said.

The food boxes that families received could provide up to 18 meals, which should get them through the first week of school, Williams said.

Those interested in donating can call Peggy’s Attic at 702-455-5424.