Baierl Toyota Helps Ease Financial Burden Of Back-To-School Season
MARS (KDKA) -- Back-to-school season brings a lot of expenses for families and one local car dealership has helped ease that burden.
"The Toyota grassroots fund has given us a big opportunity to help out some of our neighbors."
With that quote from Baierl Toyota General Manager Michael Hull, it was time to hand out the checks.
Baierl Toyota in Mars chose three school districts in their area that showed a need.
New Brighton started a weekend backpack program for students who are at risk of not getting a meal on the weekends.
Baierl Toyota donated $20,000 to ensure that the program is successful. New Brighton Superintendent Joe Guarino.
"We have far too many students who when they leave us on Friday don't have another solid substantial meal until they come back on Monday. So we will have a backpack that will go home with some of our students to cover meals over the weekend," said New Brighton Superintendent Joe Guarino.
Beaver Falls has an emergency fund that is designed to feed homeless students and that district also received $20,000.
"We have a great need within our district, we have about an average of 50 homeless students so we have a great need and this will truly be a great asset to those students," said Superintendent Donna Nugent.
In Ellwood City, the district had an unpaid school lunch balance of more than $22,000, which is now paid in full. Superintendent Joe Mancini says those students in need will start the new school with a clean slate.
"Hopefully by the end of next week, every kid will have a zero debt. They won't have to worry about that debt problem anymore."