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By Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

HIGH SCHOOLER ITEMS NEEDED

Backpacks, binders, and crayons, oh my! Tools for School calls for last needed items

Aug 27, 2024 | 4:30 PM

With the first day back to school approaching rapidly, and parents scrambling to load up on school supplies, The Outreach Centre is reminding residents of its annual Tools for School initiative.

This program provides backpacks and other school supplies to students in families with limited resources in an effort to remove at least one barrier that can impact children’s learning and participation in school.

“This program is critically important for kids from low income central Alberta families so they can go back to school feeling like they fit in with the other kids, not feeling stigmatized that they don’t have the school supplies they need,” says The Outreach Centre executive director Ian Wheeliker.

The Outreach Centre offers this to students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Wheeliker shares that they often receive many supplies for young students, but high school students need to be considered and supported as well.

In just over a week the Centre has distributed 635 backpacks to students from 238 families. Last year, it distributed around 1,100 backpacks, and this year, Wheeliker expects to distribute just over 1,200.

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He says, “We’ve been running it for many years and every year the community gets behind it and we always manage to meet the need.”

There are a few items the Centre needs in order to meet this expected demand. High School student backpacks, one-inch binders, geometry sets, crayons and pencil crayons would all be of use, he says.

Families wishing to find support through the program can find information here or pick up a form from The Outreach Centre. A health care card for applicants and their children, as well as proof of household income is necessary to apply.

Wheeliker says as much as they would like to, they can’t help families every day of the year.

“Particularly when money is tight and the big crunch is on, if we can help them out then we’re fulfilling our mandate to try and alleviate at least the consequences of poverty,” he says.

There are three primary ways to donate to the program:

• Host a product drive: Start collecting supplies through donations from friends, families, and coworkers.
• Shop and drop: If your child needs school supplies, consider purchasing doubles and dropping off the extra set at one of the collection bins.
• Monetary donations, which can be made here.

Supply donations can be dropped off at the United Way Central Alberta or The Outreach Centre. There is no deadline for donations; The Centre will accept them throughout the year.

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