Kids Need School Supplies
With the new school year just a few weeks away, thousands of local low-income families and their children have begun to worry about how they're going to afford school supplies - or even if they'll be able to get them at all.
As every parent knows, school supplies are expensive. As every child knows, it's embarrassing to show up for the first day of school with the "wrong" supplies or, worse yet, no supplies at all. And as most teachers know, it's not always easy to scrape together makeshift supplies for those students whose families just couldn't come up with the money for binders, scissors, markers and rulers.
Hopelink's Kids Need School Supplies drive erases all of that for thousands of kids in north and east King County. Through the community's generosity, children will receive the supplies they'll need to start off the school year on the right foot. The drive this year is presented with help from Boeing Retiree Volunteers, The Seattle Times, community groups, schools and At Work.
To donate either supplies or money, you may go to any of Hopelink's five emergency service centers. Monetary donations may also be made by phone at 425.869.6000 or HERE.
Supplies in particular demand this year include:
- Three-ring binders (two-inch size)
- Wide-tip and narrow-tip markers
- Erasers
- Backpacks for older and younger kids
- Scissors for older and younger kids
- Rulers
- Crayons
- Glue sticks
- Lined paper (wide and college ruled)
End Summer Hunger 2010
End Summer Hunger is Hopelink's grassroots campaign that provides food for kids in North and East King County who normally receive free and reduced-fee breakfasts and lunches during the school year. Last year our community of caring donors raised nearly $170,000 in cash and food to help low-income families feed their children.
Hopelink and the children we serve need your help again in 2010. And helping is easy, since Hopelink can provide you, your workplace, school or community group materials to organize fundraisers or food drives for the End Summer Hunger campaign.
Here are some other ways you can help:
Toy Drives
Hopelink makes it possible for parents and grandparents who don't have much money to give their kids and grandkids holiday gifts. People, companies and churches donate gifts to Hopelink for these families, especially during the holidays. For your next birthday party, ask your friends to bring gifts for Hopelink instead. Or, in November and December, hold toy drives for Hopelink, maybe as part of a holiday party.
Hopelink has six food banks in our area where families, senior citizens and people with disabilities can get the food they can't afford to buy. Hopelink can offer more and better food with help from people like you. The next time you have a party, or need a community service project for school, think about holding a canned food drive for Hopelink.
When you collect donations of money for Hopelink, you help us pay for programs that teach adults to read, help families pay their rent or other bills, and buy fresh food that we give out through our food banks. Maybe your school does an "End Summer Hunger" coin drive. If so, be sure to bring in your coins - and if your school doesn't hold an End Summer Hunger drive, talk to your teachers and principal and PTA about holding one. It's a fun and easy way to help hungry kids like you to have enough food during the summertime when they can't eat free lunches at school.
Hopelink's food banks can use the help of kids over the age of 16 to sort and give out food to the people who need it. If you are between the ages of 12 and 16, Hopelink has other chances for you to volunteer. See stories of how others helped Hopelink with its mission.
Fundraising Ideas
Looking for ways to assist Hopelink in helping people?Read our fundraising suggestions page.
