Give a Kid a Chance Registration Open

Many families in Bartow County are unable to supply basic paper and pencils for a child’s first day of school, not to mention new clothes or a haircut.

Bartow Give a Kid a Chance is part of a national program designed to provide free assistance to children struggling in school. This summer, hundreds of volunteers, local churches, numerous nonprofits, both and school systems, and the Employer Committee of the are assisting in this effort. 

“There are quite a few slots still available for children in the Bartow County and Cartersville school systems to register,” said Terry Terrell, chairman of this year’s event.

Phone registration opened Monday. Families in need of supplies should contact Bartow Give a Kid a Chance's voicemail at 678-719-2165 and leave their names, numbers and the date and time most available for someone to return the call. Volunteers will register families throughout the next two weeks.

Parents and their children July 28 will be given a time to return to one of three locations—, Adairsville High School or —to receive health screenings, haircuts, backpacks with school supplies, and a shirt.

Of the 100,157 individuals living in Bartow County, 14.9 percent live in poverty; of those, 4,936 are children.  

“Small gifts make big things happen when a child’s self-esteem and self-worth magnify. It costs $20 to fill each back pack and this year, we need to fill 2,000," said Tina Grubbs, executive director of Bartow Collaborative. "Any donation is greatly appreciated." 

Bartow Give A Kid A Chance operates as an outreach activity of the Bartow Collaborative, a 501(c) organization committed to helping bring social service agencies, faith-based organizations, businesses, civic groups and individuals together to improve outcomes for children and families living in Bartow County.

Monetary contributions should be sent to Bartow Collaborativeat 475 E. Main St., No. 218, Cartersville, Georgia 30121.