Point Breeze Woman Provides Backpacks for Children of POWER

Kathy Garrison of Point Breeze provides more than 50 filled backpacks for the children of each year as their mothers go through the rehabilitation programs in Swissvale. POWER is a local organization helping women to overcome alcohol and addiction issues through a variety of ways. We recently spoke with Garrison about the project, which is solely organized and funded by her individually.

How did you begin helping and volunteering with POWER?

I started this at other places and settled here. I started out by thinking there are kids somewhere that just don’t have the things my kids have—they’re in severe circumstances or may have trouble with reading, so I thought this was a good idea.

I went down to the library in Wilkinsburg and started a program where someone could win a bag of books or give them away. I ended up working as an after-school person for a year and every student got a backpack. Then, I made backpacks for kids in foster care for a long time. I also did some for the women’s shelter. I walked into POWER one day and talked to someone, then worked out a deal where I knew the kids’ ages and would ask for their interest so I could really personalize it.

What do the kids get in each backpack?

They all get personalized stationary with their names on it along with folders with their names on it as well. I don’t get to see the kids and it’s not possible, but sometimes I do get thank-you notes. It’s a gift for the kids, but it’s also a gift for the moms. It’s valuable for everyone concerned.

I buy the backpacks, the books, toys, everything. I always try to put some art materials in. If they like Batman, I will get them some Batman stuff but also, they will learn about bats. I will give them a Batman bottle and then books about bats. They all get coloring books and puzzles and so forth. I always try to get something educational.

What do you enjoy about doing this project?

I love the creativity of it for one thing and I get to do whatever I want. It’s also the fact that someone, somewhere is getting pleasure out of this. People ask me what group I belong to but I am the one who does everything.

It’s fun to put them together. I am kind of always working on them. If I go to the Dollar Store and they have frogs that day, I will get them and then eventually I will have enough.

What do you want the kids to take away from the new backpack?

What the mothers have said to me is, "I just want you to know how much this meant to me because I have nothing to give my daughter." They live in a halfway house and don’t see their kids much, and they are really struggling. One mother sent me pictures of her junior high kids opening the backpacks and holding things up, and that meant a lot to me. Even if a couple of them make a difference, that’s the important thing.

I know if I got one, I would know someone was thinking about me.