At a school in Moncton, N.B., the doors to the gymnasium opened at 9 a.m. sharp on Aug. 19. Inside, students, parents and community members were greeted by a spread of second-hand clothes, backpacks, shoes, boots and books. Music played over the speaker; kids were in high spirits.
Queen Elizabeth School was hosting its first-ever back-to-school shop, an initiative spearheaded by vice-principal Kyle Bishop and the owner of a local consignment store in nearby Riverview, N.B., called Ready, Set, Grow.
The shop gave families a chance to choose from donated items ahead of the first day of school — without paying a cent.
“Our parents do the best that they can with the reality that they have,” Bishop said, adding the school has a large newcomer population. “And so when this opportunity came up, I just thought of all the families that this could benefit immensely.”
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