As August quickly approaches, it’s time to think about purchasing school supplies.
During the Build a Back Pack program, people are encouraged to consider helping students who are in need by purchasing school supplies at Walmart.
The Lenoir County Education Foundation, Self Help Credit Union and The Lenoir/Greene United Way are collecting school supplies for local students.
Laura Lee Sylvester, executive director of the Foundation and Chamber president, said one of the Foundation’s goals is to help provide school supplies for needy children.
“This program is important to our community and our students,” she said, “because, unfortunately, our schools and teachers are asked to do more with less, and therefore, our students are responsible for their own supplies and our community has so many needs.”
June Cummings, director of the local
“We realize so many children in this community,” she said, “… these kids may not have everything they need to start school.
She added that donating for needy children is “the right thing to do.”
As part of the program, a Stuff the Bus event will be held from
Customers can shop for school supplies anytime between today and the end of August and drop the items off at the Build a Back Pack bin at the front of the Kinston Walmart.
Volunteers are needed for Saturday’s event. To volunteer, call LCPS at 252-527-1109 and ask for Lidia Guzman, the school system’s public information officer. Multiple attempts to reach Guzman for this report went unanswered.
Donation checks can be mailed to the Lenoir County Education Foundation with a designation to purchase school supplies. Send checks to the Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce,
Newly-purchased school supplies can also be dropped off at the Chamber office or LCPS Central office,
To support Self Help Credit Union’s $5 Adopt a Back Pack program, mail or bring donations to the credit union at
Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @MargaretFishr.
Breakout boxes:
To volunteer:
What: Stuff the Bus (with school supplies)
When:
Where:
Responsibilities: Encourage shoppers to purchase school supplies for LCPS students, collect supplies from shoppers, put the supplies in the school bus, work any number of hours
Contact: To volunteer, call LCPS at 252-527-1109 and ask for Lidia Guzman
To help Build a Back Pack:
n Notebook paper (wide or college ruled)
n Three-ring binders
n Composition books (ex: black/white marble kind)
n Spiral one-subject notebooks
n Pencils
n Ink pens (black or blue)
n Glue sticks
n Two-pocket folders (with or without prongs)
n Rulers
n Crayons
n Book bags (girls and boys, K-12)