Fish for Life hosts sixth annual shopping spree for West Oso ISD students at JCPenney
As Alexis Cuellar, an eighth-grader at West Oso Junior High, looked for the perfect pair of jeans to wear on the first day of school, she said she's thankful she was included in a free JCPenney shopping spree held by Fish for Life.
"I'm happy they do this for kids like me," Cuellar said at the store on Wednesday. "It feels good. I'd like to return the favor and help them when I'm older and volunteer."
Fish for Life is an organization aiming to build a better future for Corpus Christi by investing in the lives of at-risk youth. The nonprofit's mission is to meet the basic needs of children, establish mentorship programs and cultivate relationships with the youth.
The annual shopping spree started in 2017.
Chuck Goodwin, president of Fish for Life, said 150 students from John F. Kennedy Elementary, West Oso Elementary and West Oso Junior High were each given a $100 gift card to the department store to spend on clothes and accessories needed for their return to school. A 30% off coupon is also applied as students cash out.
A second shopping spree is set for Sunday for Corpus Christi ISD's T.G. Allen Elementary. Students will receive the same amount of money and coupon savings.
"With today's culture, it's necessary for us to tell y'all why we do this," Goodwin said to volunteers. "We care about the children because God cares about the children. There's no way I could've raised $15,000 on my own. There's no way I could've done this without any of y'all."
Volunteer Gaby Gomez, 18, helped two junior high students find what they wanted. She recalled a similar trip she took when she was in elementary school and was able to shop for toys.
"I want to try and return that kindness today as best as I can," Gomez said. "I hope the community starts to think about these kids, and others who aren't fortunate to participate, and help them out as best as they can."
Braselton Homes is one of the businesses that donate funds to Fish for Life. Vice President Bart Braselton said his company has been involved with the nonprofit for years and always jumps at opportunities to help children.
"This is our favorite thing to do every year," Braselton said. "When the kids are excited to shop, you know you're doing the right thing. To see the look on their face when they're dragging their bag of stuff — it's priceless."
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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Fish for Life hosts sixth annual shopping spree for West Oso ISD
