Mervyn’s Joins Kids’ Clothing Program

Four San Fernando Valley Mervyn’s stores will join in a national program Saturday that sends needy children on a shopping spree to help them prepare for the upcoming school year.

ChildSpree, now in its fourth year, provides boys and girls ages 6 to 18 with $50 to $100 to purchase back-to-school clothes that they pick out themselves.

“The kids are much more practical, frankly, than most adults,” said Carol Johnson, a spokeswoman for Mervyn’s.

“They are really very frugal. They try to stretch those dollars as far as they can.”

Mervyn’s Corp., a clothing retailer with 294 stores nationwide, organizes ChildSpree and provides matching funds to individual stores, which are responsible for raising money within their areas.

The kids, more than 15,000 nationwide, are selected by various community organizations that act as partners in the program. Rita Balauag, community services coordinator for the Sun Valley Mervyn’s, said that store has raised enough money to provide 60 kids from the Pacoima Boys & Girls Club with $50 each.

To make the money go further, Mervyn’s provides a 10% discount on all items purchased by the ChildSpree shoppers.

Each child is assisted by an adult chaperon during the event to help him or her make good choices, Balauag said.

Additionally, at the Sun Valley store the kids will be given book bags with school supplies and be served a hot breakfast. “When kids go back to school without new clothes, it can lead to self-esteem problems that prevent them from learning to their full potential,” Johnson said.

“We’re in the apparel business and we thought this would be a good way for us to contribute to children’s education.”