The 5 Q's: Greg Spink discusses needs of Bright Futures Carthage

Aug. 7—In this weekly feature, we put five questions before someone in the community. Today, we chat with Greg Spink, of Bright Futures Carthage.

1. Why is Bright Futures Carthage needed at the Carthage School District?

Carthage R-9 is a kids-first district. In everything we do as a district, we try to make sure we have the kids' best interest at heart.

Bright Futures is part of the district because it's hard for kids to have a bright future if they are living in a dark present. If we can help kids have brighter futures by giving them food to eat when school's not in session, beds to sleep in, glasses to see, supplies for school, shoes for their feet, coats to keep them warm and clean clothes if they need them, then we set them up to not only succeed in school, but in life as well.

We love taking care of kids in this district, and Bright Futures is a huge part of that plan.

2. What are some signature programs and initiatives operated by Bright Futures Carthage?

At Bright Futures we try to make sure kids have everything they need to succeed. Our two biggest programs are our food pack program, where we send food packs home on the weekend for kids who live in food insecure homes. We also make sure every child that needs help getting school supplies has a backpack full of everything they need to have a successful year. In addition to that, we help with beds, clothes, coats, shoes, eye exams and glasses, hearing exams and hearing aids and lots of other things as they come up.

Because Bright Futures is part of the school, our referrals come from the school counselors who know and love the kids they serve. They work hard to see signs and ask questions and oftentimes make referrals before the child knows who or what to ask for.

3. How many items did Bright Futures Carthage receive during last month's Stuff the Bus event?

We were blessed beyond our wildest dreams in our Stuff the Bus campaign this year. However, with COVID-19 and inflation, our requests this year have increased over 100 from where we were last year, and we still have our big back-to-school bash where we will get even more names. We are buying items and would love to receive financial help getting all of our kids what they need to start the year off right.

4. When is the next event or fundraiser for Bright Futures Carthage?

We have two big events coming up.

From 5 to 630 p.m. on Tuesday, we have our annual back-to-school bash at the YMCA at 502 Maple in Carthage. The first 400 kids will receive a Carthage Tiger T-shirt and a swag bag. There will be several agencies that have programs with plenty of candy for the kiddos and resources for parents. There will be a place to sign up for free and reduced lunches, help with school supplies, free snow cones from Kona Ice and free train rides. It's going to be great.

We will have our backpack pickup night from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 17, at The Bridge Church located at 800 Main in Carthage. You can come anytime in that time frame and get your school supplies. You must be registered — you can do that at the bash or by emailing Greg at spinkg@carthagetigers.org and putting your names on the list.

5. What are some goals Bright Futures Carthage hopes to accomplish this year?

This year we set three goals for Bright Futures here in Carthage. They are:

—Get a truck donated for Bright Futures.

—Get a new building donated for Bright Futures — ideally one level with a loading dock and 5,000-plus square feet.

—Get an endowment started with $1,000,000 to help fund the work of Bright Futures.

To date, we've received a truck and $1,000,000. We are holding out for a new building. We are praying someone can donate a building or the funds to purchase a new building. We'd love to have room to do all the good work we are working to do.

Greg Spink serves as the director of Bright Futures Carthage, a nonprofit organization that aims to meet basic needs and create new opportunities for children and youths to succeed.