Can you imagine a room or a bus full of 8000 school supplies?
That’s the goal for the United Way as they head into the final stretch of the Stuff the Bus campaign.
Nichole Mader, United Way Executive Director, said that the financial goal of $1000 has already been met. “As far as pieces, we are at 5850; this year has been an amazing year, everyday we have brought in more and more supplies than we did the year before.”
Mader noted that she doesn’t see any reason why they shouldn’t meet and possibly exceed the 8000 item goal. “The more donations we raise as far as pencils and crayons, the less that I have to take out of that $1000 which means I can turn around and take that $1000 and put it toward book-bags for next year, or toward stuff that the schools still need.”
School supplies are given directly to the schools for the teachers to distribute to students to ensure that supplies last and serve as many children as possible.
“When they start school, their parents or even [students] themselves tell their teacher ‘I don’t have paper, or I don’t have crayons’, and so the teacher can have the power to make [those supplies] stretch even further,” said Mader. “If we were to give those supplies directly to the child, then that’s just one student that we would be able to help, however by giving it to the schools they can make it go so much further; a pack of paper has 150 pages, [teachers] can probably take that and divide it among three students.”
Various items are needed for students, but Mader noted that she would like to see more donations of college ruled paper/notebooks/composition books, as well as three ring binders, two pocket folders, and folders with prongs. There are several items that can be donated toward the 8000 item goal. (list below)
“There is roughly 61 percent of USD 475 that is below the poverty line, and that 8000 pieces will help that 61 percent,” said Mader.
Volunteers will be outside the Walmart on Chestnut Street tomorrow – Thursday, August 3rd – and Friday, August 4th from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
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Suggested supply list:
- 3 ring binders – 2 inch
- 3×3 sticky notes
- gallon ziploc freezer bags
- black dry erase markers
- glue sticks
- clorox wipes
- hand sanitizer, 8 ounces
- quart ziploc freezer bags
- white glue, 8 ounces
- wide ruled notebook paper
- composition books
- crayola crayons, 24 pack
- #2 pencils
- kleenex, large box
- large pink erasers
- plain pocket folders
- wide ruled spiral notebooks
- yellow highlighters
- mechanical pencils