On September 3, the office of Ward 7 City Councillor and the Duke Heights Business Improvement Area teamed up to put on their annual back-to-school backpack drive for some of the Jane-Finch and surrounding neighbourhoods’ vulnerable families at Fountainhead Park. The backpacks were stuffed with school supplies and treats, as well as a new necessity in the 2020 pandemic: child-sized printed masks.
Councillor Perruzza expressed his concerns over September’s return. “If only we could put these backpacks on students and it would create a little envelope around them, protecting them from the virus.” He broke a slight laugh, and then paused. “As a father of young children myself, I completely understand that parents are concerned right now. It is a difficult time we are living through, and we are all uncertain about what will happen.”
Residents all socially distanced via bright pylons on the grass to line up for the backpacks. Local firefighters brought special tape to mark off the area and the excited chitter of kids playing in the background could be heard all day.
BIA employees, Councillor Perruzza’s staff, and volunteers, spent all morning setting up tents and packing bags for residents. MPP Tom Rakocevic also stopped by to offer support. “While school this year has been very different for students, what remains the same has been the generosity and dedication of DUKE Heights BIA and Councillor Perruzza in making sure the youth in our community have the supplies they need to succeed as part of their annual backpack initiative.” Said Rakocevic, between chatting with locals at a safe distance and helping prepare supplies.
Over the past weeks, parents, teachers and healthcare workers alike have expressed concerns over the return to school in September. Concerns have been expressed over the availability and effectiveness of online learning, as well as class sizes and ventilation in classrooms for in-person learning. Community mobilization, however, has not stopped with the pandemic. For many families in one of the hardest hit communities by COVID-19 in Toronto, school supplies are one less thing to worry about.