Sandpipers Helps 75 Students With Back-to-School Shopping
Aug 29, 2025 10:51PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
The South Bay nonprofit organization Sandpipers held its 26th annual back-to-school shopping event earlier this month, providing clothes and accessories for dozens of local children in need.
A tradition since 1999, this year's event was held at Kohl's in Torrance. The event brought together 75 children, ages 5-12 from 13 local agencies, pairing them with Sandpipers volunteers for an exclusive day of personalized shopping.
At the end of the day, each child was able to select clothes, shoes, and a backpack stocked with new school supplies, valued at more than $350 total. All told, 93 Sandpiper volunteers helped make the event possible.
The Sandpipers organization also works closely with Kohl’s, which opens its doors before normal business hours, provides staffing for the event, and gives a 20 percent discount on Sandpipers’ purchases with no sales tax.
“As a school teacher, I know how important it is for a child to have clothes that reflect his or her interests, individuality, and identity," said Sandpipers President Dayna Bubenicek. "In collaboration with Kohl’s and our generous community donors, Sandpipers’ Back to School Shopping program empowers deserving children, many of whom have never received brand-new shoes or clothing, by giving them confidence in how they look and feel for the first day of school."
Bubenicek added, “Back-to-school shopping is one of our membership’s favorite philanthropic events because members get to see the direct impact we are making on children in our community.”
