While shopping for school supplies, Catholic Charities suggests parents toss a few more items into the cart to help a less fortunate student.
An added pack of pencils for $2.75, a Hello Kitty backpack for $5 or a notebook for $2 can greatly support children in area schools experiencing homelessness or poverty.
Catholic Charities is collecting donations for parents like Mercedes Gonzalez and her husband, Fernando, who say the nonprofit’s school supply drive eases the expense of costly supplies every year. Their children attend Escuela de Guadalupe Catholic School, Denver Center for 21st Century Learning and Gilpin Montessori Public School.
“The school supply drive helps us a lot because we are raising four children and it can get very expensive,” she said in Spanish. “We give our sincere thanks and blessings to everyone who donates.”
Donors can support needy students by dropping off donations July 25 at The Catholic Foundation Alliance at 3801 E. Florida Ave., which partners with Catholic Charities. Volunteers will be ready in the parking lot to receive the donations and provide a tax receipt.
Nikki Soran, marketing and communications coordinator with the Alliance, said school supplies can be costly for families.
“When you think about the entire list and what the kids need to get, it can easily (reach) three figures,” Soran said.
Catholic Charities hopes to collect $10,000 in supplies and monetary donations to assist 3,000 area students prepare for the school year.
Catholic Charities offers the homeless and needy food, shelter, educational resources, foster care, kinship care (for families raising relative’s children), early childhood education and immigration services.
In addition to food and shelter, the nonprofit holds the annual drive to help with the basic need of education, Soran said.
“An education is one of the most basic things someone needs and a vehicle to get out of poverty,” she said. “They need the actual tools to achieve that. Food and shelter are important, but these kids need to learn also.”
The donations to the annual school supply drive will go directly to help students in need for the upcoming school year. Visit www.ccdenver.org/ssd to learn how to make a donation.
Catholic Charities’ School Supply Drive
8 a.m.-2 p.m. July 25
In the parking lot at 3801 E. Florida Ave., Denver
www.ccdenver.org/ssd
Supplies needed
Backpacks
No. 2 pencils
Colored pencils
Pink erasers
Ballpoint pens
Washable markers
Zippered pencil pouch
Pointed scissors
2-pocket folders
Glue sticks and bottles
White printer paper
Wide-lined loose leaf paper
Spiral notebook
12’’ ruler with inches and metric
Kleenex
