Donated supplies brighten school year in York, Lancaster counties
Kelly Coxe has seen a lot of students benefit from donated school supplies.
“It’s a tremendous asset, particularly in our school,” the principal of York’s Harold C. Johnson Elementary School said. “Some of the kids come in without anything, and we make them aware of the resource, and they are so thrilled.”
The Herald and its sister community newspapers – the Enquirer-Herald in York and Clover, the Fort Mill Times and the Lake Wylie Pilot – are partnering with school districts in York and Lancaster counties to gather supplies for children from less fortunate families.
The school supply drive, now in its eighth year, will continue through Aug. 14. Each school district makes its own arrangements for how to distribute the supplies.
York students who need school supplies usually receive them at the school where they attend, Coxe said.
“We can rather quietly hand students things when they need them,” she said, “even full bookbags already packed.”
Students are thrilled.
“It means so much to the kids to be like the other children, and not stand out as being different,” Coxe said. “I know the parents are extremely appreciative.”
Bookbags are especially appreciated.
“Those are a huge benefit to them,” she said. “When they have their own bookbag that they can put their supplies in, it really means a lot to them.”
Gloria Sharp, a receptionist at the York school district, said many of the same people drop off donated supplies every year.
“Those people are very faithful about bringing in supplies for the students,” Sharp said.
Rock Hill schools plan a Stuff the Bus school supply collection event from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Walmart Super Center, 4876 Old York Road, Newport.
Volunteers from the Eta Alpha Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority will be working during Stuff the Bus to collect the supplies, which will be donated to local elementary, middle and high school students.
Clover schools will distribute school supplies to students during a special back-to-school kickoff event from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 14 at Clover High School’s Memorial Stadium.
The free Clover event will be in conjunction with the first Blue Eagle football scrimmage game. Concessions will be half price, and each school will have a tent to provide information and give out supplies to students.
Needed school supplies
Three-ring binders, including 1-inch, 2-inch, 3-inch or 5-inch; backpacks; non-sticky book covers; Clorox or Lysol wipes; colored pencils; construction paper; crayons; dividers; dry erase markers; facial tissue; flash drive; folders with prongs; glue sticks; liquid glue; graph paper; hand sanitizer; handheld pencil sharpeners; highlighters; index cards; ink pens; loose-leaf notebook paper, both college ruled and wide ruled; Lysol; marble composition notebooks; markers; clear page protectors; pencil pouch or box; pencils; post-it notes; ruler; scissors, both blunt and pointed; black sharpie markers; spiral notebooks; staples; tape; white copy paper; and quart and gallon zip-lock bags.
Drop-off locations for school supplies
Rock Hill: Rock Hill schools district office, 660 N. Anderson Road, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday
Fort Mill: Fort Mill school district office, 2233 Deerfield Drive; Doby’s Bridge Elementary School, 1000 Dragon Way; Tega Cay Elementary School, 2185 Gold Hill Road; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Thursday.
Clover: Clover school district office, 604 Bethel St., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Clover Community Bank, 124 Old N. Main St., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Clover Community Bank-Lake Wylie, 5196 Charlotte Highway, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
York: York District Office, 1475 E. Liberty St.
Lancaster: Lancaster School District, 300 S. Catawba St.; U.S. Postal Service, Main Street, Lancaster; Food Lion stores on North Main Street and Airport Crossroads; and Southern States Chiropractic, 106A N. Woodland Drive, Lancaster.
Where to send money
Make checks payable to these organizations and write school supplies in the memo line:
Rock Hill Schools Education Foundation, P.O. Box 12286, Rock Hill SC 29731 or drop off from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday at Rock Hill Schools Administrative Office, 660 N. Anderson Road, Rock Hill.
Foundation for Fort Mill Schools, online at ffms.org or mail checks to the foundation at P.O Box 476, Fort Mill, SC, 29716. Contributions in excess of the amount needed for school supplies will be used for field trip scholarships.
Clover School District, 604 Bethel St., Clover, SC, 29710.
York School District One, 1475 E. Liberty St., York SC 29745.
Communities in Schools, Lancaster, P.O. Box 3241, Lancaster SC 29721.
This story was originally published August 1, 2015 at 4:31 PM with the headline "Donated supplies brighten school year in York, Lancaster counties."