Pack a Backpack School Supply Drive went on yesterday from 9 am to 6 pm at the Great Canadian Dollar Store and it was a huge success.
Jo-Anne Dalton, Executive Director for Steinbach Family Recourse Centre says they raised $1,165 in cash donations and got a truck load of school supplies.
“This feels great. It's so nice to see what can happen in one day with a concerted effort. I think that's for sure the most we've ever had donated in one day and knowing that we'll be able to go back and stock our shelves, store up, and count our inventory, and know what we need now. Between now and next summer, when the bulk of our applications come in, it just sets us up in a really good position, and so the community really stepped up.”
She shares what this will mean for Steinbach Family Resource Centre and for all of the families.
“It means that they can come to us with their school supply list, and we can spread that out over the number of families that that do apply. It means a little bit of financial relief. When you look at a school supply list, it can be a little overwhelming to know you need shoes, you need backpacks, you need gym clothes. The seasons are changing, so you got to look at ski pants for the coming winter, winter jackets, hats, mitts, and all of that as well. And then a backpack is $50 if you're going to get a good one that's going to last a year or two and then all your supplies on top of that. So, you have to shop, you have to go to so many different stores. This is just a bit of a relief for people who are already living with a lot of barriers to their day-to-day, to their paycheck-to-paycheck lives.”
Dalton explains that people of all ages and from all over the Southeast came to make a donation.
“People who have great jobs and have no problem with this, and then people who just want to give a little bit extra because they know how important it is to their own kids, even if they are also struggling that they want to make sure every kid has what they need.”
She thanks the community for all the support.
“Thank you for showing up for the kids in our community, for the students who need the education, for the ones who just don't want to be ostracized by peers or pointed out is different because maybe they don't have what every other child has or that they don't think they have what every other child does. It allows them to just go to school and just be students and start off their year with the possibility for success.”
Steinbach Family Resource Centre will continue to take school supplies donations throughout the year.
Supplies including backpacks, geometry sets, scientific calculators, 2” binders, erasers, highlighters, Sharpies, whiteboard markers, glue sticks, pens, pencils, paper, and dividers can be dropped off at the Centre.
More information can be found on their website, steinbachfrc.ca.
A big thanks to the sponsors:
Fairway Ford
Great Canadian Dollar Store
Giant Tiger
LR Horse and Pet
David Joycey-Lawyer
Shopper’s Drug Mart
With files from Carly Koop