Back to cool!!

As more and more of the costs of public and secondary schools are passed on directly to the family, more and more working and low income families are having a hard time in September. Many students go to the first day of school empty handed. I'm sure you can imagine the teasing and bullying that happens when a student shows up without the supplies required by the school board.

The United Way appeals to the community for donations of back to school supplies, in August, so that we can ensure that children arrive at school fully supplied.

The United Way will be at Wal*Mart this Thursday Friday and Saturday, 11am - 8 pm as we attempt to fill a school bus full with back to school supplies.

Supplies can also be dropped off at '98 The Beach in Port Elgin, The Bruce Power Visitors Centre, The Coast in Kincardine, and the United Way office in Owen Sound.

This is the third year for our program. In 2005 we gave out 250 fully stocked back packs, in 2006 the number jumped to 355 and currently, our request list is at 450 and is anticipated to reach or surpass 500 this year.

The United Way funds 17 agencies that run 18 programs throughout Bruce and Grey counties. We use these agencies to reach the families. The agencies approach their clients and generate a list of clients in need. We are supplied with the age and gender of those hoping to receive a backpack. Once our appeal to the community is issued, generally through radio advertising paid for by a retail sponsor, then we receive requests directly from families, these request are vetted and filled on a first come first served, pending the availability of supplies.

We seek both donations of actual back to school supplies as well as cash donations. High school students need scientific calculators, French-English dictionaries as well as math sets. These items tend to be costly and our donors will maximize their dollars with 99 cent crayons rather than $10 calculators. So we use cash donations to fill the gaps in the donations. Despite the generosity of our community we purchase a lot of the supplies
needed.

All of the donations stay within Bruce and Grey counties.

The communities support of this program is essential for its success.