It wasn't too long before the school administrators started to notice a pattern; The Alden brothers had excessive absences, but in a peculiar pattern. They skipped school every other day.

Concerned, the school asked the brothers for further insight. "Well," shared the younger Alden brother, "We only have one pair of shoes. So, the day I get the shoes, I go to school. The next day my brother gets to go to school."

Shocked by this news, the school turned to United Way of Northern Utah School Coordinators to get the boys a second pair of shoes so they could both attend school. 

It's surprising that stories like this still exist in our community and a good reminder that basic needs are important for a child's stable learning environment. 

Thanks to the generosity of community members and local businesses, donations directly benefit our most vulnerable populations like the Alden brothers. Whether the donations come from drives, or monetary designations, every donation makes a difference and no donation is too small.

As we enter into the upcoming school year, there are opportunities to provide children with essential items before school starts with our annual Back to School Drive. We will start looking for individuals to host drives starting next month. If you are interested in participating this year, please reach out to Nicole Hopinkson to get on the waitlist. Simply email Nicole at nhopkinson@uwnu.org