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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 23 ,2 01 8 | 38 Parents know that sending kids back to school can come with a hefty price tag for new clothes, school supplies and activity fees. For low-income parents, however, these addition- al costs are often beyond their means. Before the bell rings on Day 1 of the new school year in Septem- ber, the Halton Learning Foundation (HLF) will have already fielded more than a dozen re- quests to support stu- dents of the Halton Dis- trict School Board (HDSB) who face finan- cial barriers to their ed- ucation. "Clothing, lunches and school supplies are the most requested items at the beginning of the school year," says Lesley Mansfield, exec- utive director of the HLF. Annually, funds from HLF support these basic necessities, as well as school transportation, field trips and school ac- tivities for more than 1,100 financially vulner- able HDSB students. Without some finan- cial support many of these kids risk being left out or left behind in learning, says Mans- field, such as the teenag- er whose single parent died of cancer, leaving her alone to raise a younger sibling. "The Grade 12 student had a part-time job and some insurance money but was struggling to pay for winter clothing for herself and her sis- ter," Mansfield says. "Without a helping hand, she might have dropped out of school to pay for these necessi- ties. "We provide emergen- cy funds to get students and their families past an immediate crisis, help keep kids in class and allow them to have the same learning op- portunities as their peers." HLF's Back to School fundraising campaign aims to raise $40,000 by Sept. 30 to ensure stu- dents have the supplies they need to start the school year on the right foot. To donate or learn more, visit haltonlear- ningfoundation.ca or text BACKPACK01 to 20222 to donate $20 now. COMMUNITY NEW SCHOOL YEAR OFTEN A FINANCIAL BARRIER TO LOW-INCOME PARENTS HALTON LEARNING FOUNDATION PROVIDES EMERGENCY FUNDS FULL-SERVICE RETIREMENT HOME 905-877-1800 222 Mountainview Road North, Georgetown www.mountainviewresidence.com Mountainview Residence Of Georgetown Retirement living can be the best of times when you live in an atmosphere of comfort and family caring. Seniors enjoy an independent lifestyle with comfortable accommodations, personal care and other supportive services. YOUMAY QUALIFY FOR DENTURE CARE AT NO COST *SOME CONDITIONS MAY APPLY* ODSP andOntarioWorks - Adults currently on these programs. Dental Care Counts - Adults over 65 years that have no dental insurance and the cost of dental treatment would result in financial hardship. You may qualify for financial assistance to restore chewing ability and speech. *Conditions apply* No extra billing to the client for covered services. Joshua Kelly, DD Denturist 360 Guelph Street #40 Georgetown, ON 289-924-1378 www.HaltonHillsDentures.ca