August 20, 2010 in City

School supply drives are falling far short

Need is even greater this year, organizations say

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Jesse Tinsley photo

Sam Paret, an Americorps volunteer who works for Communities in Schools, accepts a donation for the group’s school supply drive from Jo Dickey, of Spokane, on Thursday.
(Full-size photo)

Being without a pencil, paper or a backpack can be scarring for a kid returning to school, but some families simply can’t afford school supplies.

Organizations in the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene areas say the need is higher than ever this year, and they hope to collect and distribute as many supplies as possible so children are spared the embarrassment.

“They need the tools to feel proud and to go back to school and succeed,” said Sheila Geraghty, Spokane branch Salvation Army spokeswoman.

Charitable organizations, nonprofits, private companies and media outlets throughout the Inland Northwest have spent much of the past month or longer gathering school supplies to be distributed during the next two weeks.

But donations have been slow and the need is expected to be high.

“When I’ve gone out to pick up supplies from some collection bins at stores, they’ve been empty,” Geraghty said.

“We’ve had more requests than we can fill,” said Jodi Kayler, director of marketing at The Salvation Army Kroc Center in Coeur d’Alene.

Organizers of the Stuff the Bus school supply drive, which benefits students in the Cheney School District and Spokane Public Schools, also have reported lagging donations.

“We won’t really know the need until school starts, but if last year was any indication, then yes, it will be high,” said Ben Stuckart, director of Communities in Schools, a Stuff the Bus sponsor.

The Salvation Army in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane ran out of supplies to give away last year, so this year they are trying to be better prepared, officials said. But they still need supplies to fill a vast number of backpacks.

“We still need 800 if we are going to meet our goal,” Geraghty said.

School supply drives will continue through the next two weeks so people still have a chance to donate.

Distribution at the Spokane’s Salvation Army is 1 to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. In Coeur d’Alene, it’s 3 p.m. Aug. 31, but students must be registered through Salvation Army Kroc Center.

After the distribution in Spokane, any surplus will be handed out through Salvation Army’s food bank and at its shelters.

Geraghty said that if people could see how grateful the children are for things like pens, papers and folders, they’d understand just how important it is to them to have school supplies.

“When they open up those backpacks,” she said, “the looks on their faces are like Christmas.”

Seven comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  west on August 20 at 9:49 a.m.

  Cut the cigs and beer and cable tv and cell phones and you can buy some pencils and paper and a $10 back pack… for gads sake!!

• 

  avocet on August 20 at 9:53 a.m.

  West, that is EXACTLY what I was going to say. Too many parents have gotten used to these freebie handouts that enable them to spend their money on other, more “fun” things. What the h do parents do with all their child-related income tax refunds? I think the empty bins are in part because people are sick of forking over for irresponsible people.

• 

  Diana on August 20 at 5:26 p.m.

  Yeah, so let’s punish the children and make them feel really bad about not having the school supplies their classmates have. That’ll show ‘em.

• 

  WayFedUp2 on August 20 at 7:51 p.m.

  I looked at my property tax pie chart, practically all of it is for CV district, got the list for the 3 grandkids school supplies……$100.00 each at walmart. I see something wrong with the managing of the funds. In other words the working homeowner taxpayers are taking it in the shorts for those who do not know what the W word means.

• 

  james_l on August 20 at 8:03 p.m.

  I just went to the Salvation Army’s website and made a donation in the name of the ignorant people who think all poor people spend their money on beer and cigs.

• 

  avocet on August 20 at 8:07 p.m.

  Diana, the ones “punishing” the kids are their irresponsible parents. Enough is enough. I already subsidize others to a ridiculous degree through income tax breaks, property tax for schools, etc. Teach your kids some self-respect, for pete’s sake, instead of relying on handouts. If you can’t feed ‘em, don’t breed ‘em.

• 

  dukkandpooh on August 20 at 9:46 p.m.

  I bought paper and folders for 15 cents each, pencils for 50 cents and glue/glue sticks for 25 cents today at Walmart. Seriously, that is $2.00! EVERY parent should be able to provide $2.00 worth of supplies for their children…even on public assistance. My son has used the same backpack for several years…why the need for a new one every year? If you can’t afford a backpack, pick up a reusable shopping tote instead…they’re usually a buck. No, it’s not as fancy as a $40 Jansport, but it will work in a pinch.

  Up through (at least) 5th grade, ALL of the school supplies I buy for my child are put into the teacher’s supply cabinet and the supplies are divided among the kids. These kids are not going to be teased or picked on, because they will be using the same supplies I sent on the first day with my child. I am already subsidizing at a time when my finances are just as tight as the next person.