Volunteer opportunities: Help collect school supplies

Agency: United Way of Douglas County

Contact: Sarah Pierrelee at Vista@unitedwaydgco.org or at 785-843-6626, ext. 375

The United Way of Douglas County brings community resources together to support a better life for residents by focusing on improvements in health, education, and financial stability. It is time to gear up for the community school supplies collection drive and distribution, starting July 22 and running through Aug 11. This project is one of the largest communitywide collaborative efforts. Did you know?

• More than 1,200 children residing in Douglas County receive school supplies from this project.

• Five social service agencies coordinate services for this project.

• Three philanthropic organizations collaborate with donations and volunteers.

• Fourteen local businesses provide donations, manpower, and/or retail space for the project.

• A faith organization supports the project with donations and distribution services.

• The Lawrence school district provides a facility for supplies collection and distribution.

• More than 100 volunteers interested in making an impact on educational needs of local school children are needed to make the project successful.

Seventy community volunteers helped with sorting, packing and distributing school supplies. Now, help is needed collecting donations. Plan now to help at one of the ten collection sites — Checkers, all four Dillons stores, both Hy-Vee stores, Office Depot, and both Walmart stores. Collection dates are July 22, 23, 29 and 30. Collected supplies will benefit The Ballard Community Center, ECKAN, The Salvation Army and Penn House, all of whom provide free school supplies to qualifying families in Douglas County. To sign up to volunteer, go to volunteerdouglascounty.org or contact Sarah Pierrelee at Vista@unitedwaydgco.org or at 785-843-6626, ext. 375.

— For more volunteer opportunities, please contact Shelly Hornbaker at the United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center at 785-865-5030, ext. 301 or at volunteer@unitedwaydgco.org or go to volunteerdouglascounty.org.