Recently, our home office was filled with smiles, laughter, and the familiar buzz of back-to-school excitement! For the ninth year in a row, ninety bright and joyful children, family members of our team, popped in to choose exactly the right pencils, markers, and notebooks during our 9th Annual Cottages Back to School Give Back. This heartwarming tradition is more than just handing out supplies, it’s a meaningful gesture that tells our team: we’re here for you, and we care about your family’s success.
Why We Do It
Caring for our team means supporting their families—and nothing makes that clearer than helping set their kids up for a strong start to the school year. Back-to-school time can be exciting, but it can also bring stress and financial strain. What often should be a fun, hopeful moment can feel heavy. That’s where our event steps in.
Just like when our CEO Mark Maxfield first envisioned this program, the idea remains simple and powerful: what if The Cottages could ease that load for our employees, turning back-to-school shopping into something joyful? “Let’s do it!” he said, and nine years later, that caring idea remains central to who we are.
More Than a Giveaway: A Tradition With Heart
The roots of this program go back to a heartfelt moment when staff recognized the competing demands families face in late summer, getting kids registered, outfitted, and ready, all while preparing for school emotionally and financially. Since then, this annual event has become a beacon of our unique culture: community-first, family-centered, deeply human.
Over the years, we’ve involved the whole home office, ordering backpacks, crayons, pens, scissors, binders, and more. Team members and their children browse tables set up with supplies, sometimes joking that it’s “like trick-or-treating” in August! Games, prizes, and connections with colleagues and families transform the experience into a heartfelt celebration.
Keeping Our Culture Strong
This isn’t just about supplies, it’s about connection. When our team sees that we care about what matters most to them, the trust, loyalty, and togetherness that follow are invaluable. It reinforces our culture of compassion, belonging, and community support.
Beyond back-to-school, The Cottages’ Give Back initiative extends further into the wider community: providing sponsorships and support for local organizations, supporting our senior citizen centers, and more.
Gratitude to Our Partners
None of this happens alone. We’re especially thankful to BradyPLUS, BlueStep EMR, and Copper Falls Hospice, whose generous support helped add to this year’s event. Their contributions helped us reach all ninety children with exactly what they needed, and made the day magical for families and staff alike.
A Bright Tradition That Grows
With our ninth annual Give Back in the rearview mirror, we’re already dreaming of next year, perhaps even more kids, more surprises, and deeper connections. Because when we give back, it’s not just the little ones who benefit, it’s every person who sees that we’re more than coworkers. We’re a caring, family-focused organization.
Let Us Help You Today!
We welcome the opportunity to speak with you about the care that our residents receive at our Idaho locations. We are experts in assisted living, memory care, respite, adult day care, and have been serving seniors for over 20 years. Our small home-like senior living homes and specially-trained team members offer an atmosphere that promotes the well-being of your loved one.
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