Published: January 12, 2009 10:47 pm         

StarTek collecting suitcases, bags for kids in YFS shelter

Youth and Family Services of North Central Oklahoma and StarTek have joined forces for a suitcase drive, “Suitcases for New Beginnings.”

The drive will continue through Jan. 19. Officials are collecting donated travel bags and suitcases for children leaving the Youth and Family Services Shelter.

Sean Byrne, assistant director of Youth and Family Services, said StarTek wanted to help with the kids.

“StarTek is doing this for us,” he said. “We have a lot of the kids we get in the shelter and in the therapeutic program. They get moved around a lot. They often don’t have the ability to carry their little belongings around with them.

“StarTek heard about the need. They stepped up and said they would like to do a community drive for suitcases. StarTek stepped up to the plate. They wanted to make a difference in the lives of these kids.”

Brandy Venable, project supervisor at StarTek, said the project is about the company giving back to the community.

“I decided at the end of the year that would be our giving back to the community,” she said. “We tend to clean after Christmas, sometimes we give it away, sometimes we just throw it away. This is another place for people to give things.”

Currently, when children leave the shelter they often don’t have anything to carry their belongings in.

“Sometimes we can only put their stuff in trash bags or grocery bags. That sends a bad message to them that they aren’t worth anything,” Byrne said. “By having a suitcase for their stuff, it helps instill the feeling of pride and sense of ‘I matter’ for these kids.”

The idea started a few years ago but didn’t get off the ground until recently.

“I was part of LGE, Leadership Greater Enid Class 16. We went out and toured the old Youth and Family Services facility a year or two ago,” Venable said. “We were told about the kids not having anything to carry their stuff in. Coming from that background myself — I stayed in the shelter when I was 15 — really touched me. I told our new site director about it and it touched him as well.”

The suitcases will give the kids something to take with them when they leave the facility.

“This is the first year that Youth and Family Services has had a nice, new facility. This will let the kids know they are special in more than one way,” Venable said. “They have more than a new facility, they will also have something to take with them from the new building.”

Donations are being accepted at the StarTek office, 116 E. Randolph, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday.

“We have a cubical-sized area that is packed. We have gotten tons of suitcases. We also have lots of purses. I hope they will go over well with the teenage girls,” Venable said. “Cummins Construction brought in 10 rolling backpacks. They are new and great. I was thrilled to death when we got that.”

Byrne commended StarTek for helping out Youth and Family Services and the community.

“I really want people to understand how gracious we are they are doing this for us,” Byrne said. “When local businesses step up to help their community, we should be really proud as a city that they care about the community.”