At the end of August, just prior to the start of the 2015/2016 school year, Allied World Bermuda’s charity committee put together 150 school supply kits to benefit M1 students identified as in need of financial support.

A total of 90 school supply kits were given directly to the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) and the remaining 60 kits were distributed directly to the island’s five Middle Schools — Sandys Secondary, T N Tatem, Dellwood, Whitney Institute and Clearwater — for administration and distribution to identified students.

Heather Outerbridge, assistant vice-president of Allied World’s Healthcare Division and a member of the charity committee, organised the project and collaborated with Kennette Robinson, senior social worker at DCFS.

The effort focused on M1 students as there is an elevated financial burden on families in providing the school supplies needed during this transition into Middle School.

The school kits contained all of the basic required materials needed to help ensure students have positive start to the M1 school year.

Included, most notably, was a $50 voucher to Sports R Us which can be applied to a new pair of required school shoes — athletic or dress — and was completed with a geometry set, thesaurus/dictionary, calculator, pencil case fully stocked with pens, pencils, markers, erasers and glue as well as binders, folders, composition notebooks and paper.

On behalf of DCFS and the five Middle Schools, Kennette Robinson commented: “Allied World Bermuda’s generous donation of school supply kits has gone a long way to ensuring that 150 vulnerable children transitioning to Middle School will have the necessary tools to reach their full academic potential.

“The gracious concern and compassion reflected in such concrete support to young children entering M1 will provide a foundation to assist in a successful middle school experience.

“Many of our children and families have multiple life stresses that can make learning and academic success very challenging. Such support as provided through Allied World validates the worth of the recipients and tells them that they are valued by the community. It raises their self-esteem as they walk through the doors of their new school well equipped for the classroom.”

Mike McCrimmon, president of Allied World North American Property Division, commented: “Providing tangible goods into the hands of young students in need are the type of charitable donations Allied World Bermuda is honoured to deliver to members of our local community.

“We wish the 150 students receiving these kits, as well as all students island-wide, a successful and healthy start to the new school year.”

Heather Outerbridge echoed: “I am thrilled to work for a company such as Allied World Bermuda, and be a member of its charity committee, which together supports and makes philanthropic donations like this possible. I am grateful to all vendors — in particular Sports R Us — for their support in making this happen.”