Latter-day Saints help foster children

BACKPACKING-Volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints load backpacks that are stocked with brand new school supplies for children in the Ventura County foster care system. Congregants from T.O., Newbury Park and Westlake Village helped out. More than 200 new backpacks filled with school supplies were delivered to children in Ventura County's foster care system in time to start the new school year, thanks to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from Agoura, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park.

The backpacks were filled with school supplies and will be distributed to children in grades kindergarten through 12.

Ventura County Social Services reported that approximately 80 foster families signed up in advance to receive the back-to-school supplies donated by the church.

"I work in an elementary school, and I know how important it is for the children to come back to school with all the things they need," said Carol Kimball, community affairs specialist for the Newbury Park Stake.

Kimball was responsible for organizing the group project that included donations from families throughout the Conejo Valley.

"I believe this project is very important because it helps children who have greater needs than our own," Kimball said.

Pam Waldron, Ventura County Community Services coordinator, handled the delivery and distribution of the backpacks through the Children's Services Auxiliary and local social workers in time for school to begin.