Host a School Supply Drive for Needy Families in Denver

Anyone who is part of the educational process—be it teachers, parents, or students—knows that school can be an expensive proposition.

Unfortunately, education budgets have been hit across the country and many school systems have had to cut back on supplies that they provide to the classrooms. This means that students are expected to bring more and more of the supplies they (and their classmates) will need from home.

When you couple this with economic issues such as unemployment and even homelessness, you can imagine that many parents are finding it hard to provide their children with basic supplies like paper and notebooks.

If you wish to help needy families in your area, here’s how you can host a school supply drive:

1. Don’t do it alone — A supply drive can be a huge undertaking, especially if you want it to be a success. As such, you need to enlist the help of friends or neighbors who can organize this with you and staff the drop-off locations.
2. Get advice from the experts — If you’re wondering just what type of supplies are needed, talk to the experts. Contact teachers and principals to see exactly what items they’ll be needing when the kids come back at the end of summer. Most school websites post a list of needed school supplies for each teacher (or grade level). Use these as a starting point for your own drive.
3. Find a drop-off location — Generally speaking, you’re going to want a place that’s open to the public, large enough to house the supplies you hope to bring in, and centrally located. Speak with local church groups, community centers, or even the local library to see if they can let you use their facilities for this project. If all else fails, contact the schools themselves to see if you can host your drive there.
4. Promote the drive on social media — This is an absolute must. You want to make sure everyone knows about this event to ensure donations. You should definitely use “traditional” advertising venues such as the local newspaper, but a really great way to promote your event is on social media such as Facebook or Instagram. This way, you can create digital “flyers” of the needed supplies and let your friends, family, and followers know exactly what needs to be purchased.
5. Timing is everything — Many major retailers host back-to-school sales. In some locations, the entire state may have a Tax-Free weekend with no sales tax on school-related purchases. Hold your drive during or immediately after these events so that people can stock up on items to donate to your cause.

A school supply drive is a great way to help out underpaid teachers who often spend thousands of dollars to help buy materials for their students who can’t afford them. By doing this, you provide for those who are needy while showing support and love to your teachers who greatly need it.

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