With just a week to go before a new school year, backpacks and school supplies can still be donated to the Tools for Schools program in central Alberta.
The most needed items at this point are backpacks for Grade 9-12 students, said Ian Wheeliker, The Outreach Centre’s executive-director. “Anything that people can do for older kids would be appreciated.”
The Outreach Centre and United Way of Central Alberta are collecting hundreds of backpacks as well as pens, paper, binders and other classroom supplies to give out to families in need. As of Wednesday morning, 500 backpacks were collected, and organizers estimate they are only halfway there.
Last year over 1,100 students across Central Alberta received backpacks and supplies, thanks to donations to the Tools For Schools program. The Outreach Centre believes the need could be even greater this fall, with rising interest rates and inflation.
The program supplies K-12 students whose families have limited resources, and is entirely supported by the community.
“Every student deserves an equal start, and this program allows the community to show our students how valued they are and how important their education is,” Wheeliker previously stated.
The program began collecting supplies in early August and has already supplied hundreds of students across central Alberta.
More supplies are still being collected to support new students who arrive during the year, and to replenish students’ supplies when they run out during the school year.
Binders and coiled notebooks, coloured pencils and crayons, pens and pencil cases, loose-leaf paper, glue sticks and geometry sets are always needed. For a supply list, please visit theoutreachcentre.org/donate/tools-for-schools/.
Wheeliker thanked the community for its support and added, “I hope the donations keep coming in.”
Donations can be dropped off at United Way Central Alberta, 100-4828-53rd St. or The Outreach Centre at 4101-54th Ave.