Some area kids got a jump start on their back to school shopping Tuesday.
It was all because of Target and the Salvation Army.
The stores on Gunbarrel Road and in Cleveland took part in the national Back-to-School Shopping Spree.
Anjie Warren works at the Gunbarrel Road Target. She explained, "I felt like I was a child again so it was really good to see them happy, just having a good time."
She and other Gunbarrel Road Target workers had an extra spring in their step Tuesday morning.
Lt. Robert Viera of the Salvation Army explained why. He said, "They're taking kids from the Chattanooga and Cleveland areas and they're supplying them with gift cards to start their back to school shopping."
The Salvation Army made sure 30 area kids got to fill their back-to-school baskets.
Melanie Foden is a mother. She said, "It's very important. The Salvation Army has helped me all my life. And my family and I are so grateful."
Foden has two children shopping Tuesday. One will be a fifth grader this year and the other's entering sixth grade.
Foden added, "Yeah, he's had two growth spurts since last year."
So the Target program is a welcome relief.
Lt. Viera added, "The kids are able to buy basically whatever they need. A lot of the kids need their school supplies so they bring their list and the lists kind of get longer each year so having a little assistance helps. Other kids need clothing for this time of the year but thankfully with the cards they can get either or."
Foden said, "They're getting mainly clothes and a few other school supplies. They don't need pencils actually. They still have some from last year."
Each child was also paired with a Salvation Army volunteer to make sure they got the most out of their $80 gift-card. And that makes for a lot of satisfied customers.
Warren said, "To come up here and see everybody hyped up and yelling, excited. It helps me go through the rest of the day."
If you'd like to donate to the Salvation Army, click
here.
