Local company brings shopping experience to kids
JACKSON, Tenn. — A local company brought the shopping mall to the kids on Wednesday.
The Bank of Jackson brought over 200 coats for students at Washington Douglas Headstart.
The drive happens every year just before Christmas break. For this year, Jerry Woods with Headstart says they decided to get creative.
“We set it up like a little store, and they can go to the particular shelf or rack and pick out a coat. We divided the boys coats and girls coats, as well as by sizes,” Woods said.
With a variety of coats for the kids to choose from, they get to pick out their favorite.
“They will try them on, and to watch them leave this gymnasium in that new coat they have on, they are so proud,” said Anita Kay Archer, Vice President of Development for the Bank of Jackson.
Woods says the need is important now more than ever after the pandemic left some families with limited resources.
“Many parents have not been working. We deal with a lot of children that have those challenges, and this is just one of the many ways that individuals such as the Bank of Jackson have stepped up,” Woods said.
Tafatha Cannon has been a teacher at Headstart for six years and says this event is something she always looks forward to.
“Anytime we are seeing and giving that happiness within them in the expression of their face, their eyes, their voices, it is a blessing. It is a great feeling, a joy, that can’t be explained,” Cannon said.
Cannon adds that watching the kid’s reaction to picking out their very own coat makes it even better.
“It is such a blessing and a wonderful feeling that you can’t explain. This is something that they need,” Cannon said.
Archer says the majority of the coats were donations from people in the community.
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