Public schools in Gloucester and Mathews counties will open Tuesday. School buses will be moving along local highways and byways to pick up their loads, and we urge drivers to slow down a bit and keep a sharp eye out for the students as they settle into their new routine.

The school opening is anything but routine for a number of children, those whose families are unemployed or underemployed, and who wonder where the money for school supplies and clothing will come from.

Into this gap have stepped a number of local organizations. Bill Hudgins GMC comes to mind for its long-term commitment to helping foster children, especially as school opens and at Christmas. This automotive dealership deserves much praise for standing behind young people whose lives have been disrupted by forces beyond their control.

A group effort from the Mathews Family YMCA and Hands Across Mathews has carried on, for several years, its Fresh Start program. Volunteers go along to shop with children who nee...