‘Young Caring for our Young’ Foundation helps kids get ready for the first day of school

Published: Aug. 9, 2023 at 4:16 PM MDT
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BURLEY, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Some students from Minidoka and Cassia school districts got ready for school Wednesday morning thanks to the Young Caring for our Young Foundation.

About 200 students went back to school shopping Wednesday morning at Walmart in Burley with the Young Caring for our Young Foundation and Julie’s Clothes for Kids.

“Young Caring for our Young is a Foundation that we started in the Young Automotive Group, we have over 28 events that are similar to this one with Julie’s Clothes for Kids, we help them with clothes, food, sometimes we’ve done backpacks, we’ve done all kinds of different things,” said Mike Gailey, the general manager of Young Automotive Group Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge.

At Wednesday’s event, students from Minidoka and Cassia County are invited by the school district to come and shop for brand new clothes to start the school year off on the right foot.

The students are chosen by need and invited individually by the two school districts.

The volunteers though are from local businesses and others in the community who want to help.

“It’s really near and dear to my heart, I came from a family that we lived below the poverty line for sure so getting the opportunity to take some of these kids shopping, it’s a world wind of emotion for me just cause again if this was around when I was a kid, we probably would’ve been the family to utilize it so,” said Pete Nunez, a volunteer from Idaho Central Credit Union.

The Young Caring for our Young Foundation is also starting the Kind fund, to be able to help kids all year long.

“We actually get with the school districts and get kids that are in need, needing clothes those kinds off things, some of our employees go shopping for them, and then those clothes are taken to those kids and given to them throughout the year,” said Gailey.

Julie’s Clothes for Kids was started as a way to honor Julie Breshears who passed away suddenly, she was very involved in the schools in the Mini-Cassia area and they wanted to do something to honor her.

“More than anything it’s just great to see them get ready to go back to school, and feeling confident to go back to school that they have the things they need,” said Brett Whitaker, the general manager of Young Automotive Group Powersports.