Back2School supply drive looking for volunteers

Max Seusy, a first grader at Langston Hughes Elementary, sorts through a box of glue sticks in search of a missing glue-stick cap Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016, at the Back2School backpack giveaway at the old Borders building, 700 New Hampshire St. Max volunteered with his mother, Carmen Seusy, at the event.

Organizers with the annual Back2School supply drive are looking for more than 200 volunteers to help with this summer’s efforts to provide school essentials to local kids in need.

The program, which launches July 22, provides school supplies, backpacks and shoes for low-income students in kindergarten through the 12th grade. In recent years, organizers have pushed to expand the program’s outreach into smaller Douglas County communities, and this time around, said volunteer coordinator Sarah Pierrelee, there’s been an effort to cover not just Lawrence, but also Eudora, Baldwin City and the Perry-Lecompton district.

“Every year, we try to grow and benefit as many kids as we can,” said Pierrelee, a VISTA Americorps member with United Way of Douglas County. “We’re trying to be more inclusive and get supplies to all kids who are in need this year.”

In that spirit, organizers are hoping to fill 333 volunteer slots for collecting, sorting and distributing supplies over the next several weeks. As of Wednesday, they had filled around 80 of those slots, Pierrelee said. The most immediate need, she said, is for volunteers to sort supplies and pack items into backpacks July 24, July 30, Aug. 4 and Aug. 7. Organizers also looking for volunteers to help distribute supplies Aug. 9-11.

The Back2School program is expected to serve around 1,200 families this year, Pierrelee said. Over the last five years, the number of students in the Lawrence district eligible for free or reduced-price lunch has climbed from around 35 percent to nearly 40 percent. That figure represents more than 4,700 of the district’s 12,106 students, according to the most recent information provided by the Kansas State Department of Education.

Programs like Back2School, Pierrelee said, help to level the playing field for these students, who might otherwise go without essentials like pencils, crayons and a fresh pair of shoes for the new school year.

“It means so much because for so many kids, their parents can’t supply supplies to them, and that keeps them from being able to go to school with confidence,” Pierrelee said. “And then to be able to go to school knowing they have everything they need to learn that year, and to be able to supply them with supplies, with backpacks and shoes — that gives them the confidence to grow and believe in themselves.”

Back2School services are available for any Douglas County family who meets the qualifications for free and reduced-price lunch. Registration is required and can be completed at three Lawrence locations: ECKAN (2518 Ridge Court), Penn House (1035 Pennsylvania St.) and The Salvation Army, 946 New Hampshire St.

Registration began at ECKAN late last month, while registration at Penn House and The Salvation Army kicks off Monday. The last day to register is July 28. Required documentation for registration includes identification showing proof of residency in Douglas County and proof of income, e.g., pay stubs, a letter from an employer or an award letter if receiving assistance from Social Security.

Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to sign up at www.volunteerdouglascounty.org, or by contacting Pierrelee at vista@unitedwaydgco.org or 843-6626, ext. 375.

Donations can also be made online at www.dccfoundation.org or by sending a check to The Salvation Army of Douglas County, ECKAN or Ballard Community Services/Penn House.