This article has been updated for clarity.
Every year a new school year starts, and every year more and more kids are lacking the supplies they need to succeed. An organization in the area is doing what it can to change that.
Communities in Schools is a community based organization that works with public schools and charter schools to “empower” at-risk kids to stay in school, the organization’s website said.
The Renton branch of Communities in Schools is now working with the Tukwila School District to help the district get school supplies by hosting a supply drive, according to Amanda Jefferys, an AmeriCorps VISTA working within Communities in Schools of Renton.
“It is the first time that we are doing a city wide drive to benefit all schools. We are Communities in Schools of Renton, so we’ve been doing school drives for the Renton School District for the past 10 plus years. It’s our first year in Tukwila, so we’re trying to just be as successful as we can,” Jefferys said.
She said the organization works directly inside K-12 schools to “remove those barriers so they (students) can succeed,” no matter what their circumstances are.
A way they are removing those barriers, the organization is having a backpack drive for the Tukwila School District.
“For a lot of students, being able to go to school with a new backpack filled with supplies and all of that fun stuff is really important in all they need to stay on track, which we also thrive to do,” she said. “Every year we serve hundreds of children experiencing some kind of issues at home, levels of trauma outside of the classroom. When school starts every year, we know how much the kids want to look and feel like they belong and that they are like any other kid.”
She said by giving children backpacks full of supplies, they are able to show up to school ready to start the year on the same level as their fellow classmates.
The school supply drive will be located at various locations around Tukwila including CISR Office at 1101 Bronson Way North, the Tukwila School District at 4640 South 144th Street, the city of Tukwila at 6300 Southcenter Boulevard in the main lobby and Kona Kai Coffee at 14350 Tukwila International Boulevard.
Jefferys said they are always looking for more drop off locations, that way community members have more opportunities to donate.
She said each bin at the drop off locations will include a list of supplies that the students and the district are looking for.
A newer feature is to donate online. Jefferys said people have the option to go to supplyallkids.com/#/donate/tuk, to donate supply packs to students in need of them. Each pack is $25. To donate just a backpack on the website costs $10.
Jefferys said you are even able to see what supplies you are donating in each supply pack.
The donation locations are open from July 15 to Aug. 15, and the donation option online will be available until Aug. 15 as well, according to Jefferys.
