Back to School Supplies: Donations to Benefit Houston Area Students and Schools

Far too often, area Houston schools families are unable to afford the many school supplies needed to equip their children for the upcoming school year. In order to assist this school, students and teachers; donations and contributions are needed from the community.

Did you know that the average teachers spends over $500.00 a year on school supplies for our students but is only able to claim a portion of that amount on his/her taxes? Did you know that many Houston area teachers spend hundreds more than that amount in an attempt to equip our students and many others with the school supplies they need for an effective school year?

In order to help our students in the Houston/Harris/and Fort Bend area, school supply donations are needed desperately. Find out how you can help.

On August 17, First American Title in Sugar Land will be holding a School Supply Drive. It will be from 2pm to 6pm and bring your business cards as there will be Door Prizes. The supplies will be for students of Fort Bend School District. Some of the donation opportunities available include donations of pencils, crayons, glue, notebooks, backpacks, dividers, pens, erasers, notebook paper, and any other donations you may care to make should be dropped off at: First American Title located at 1449 Highway 6 #200, Sugar Land, TX 77478.

In Montgomery County Texas, just north of Houston, ReMax Preferred Group is hosting a school supply drive at the Blue Heron Building. Please make donations of 24 count crayons, #2 pencils, washable markers, wide ruled paper, construction paper, folders to ReMax to help our community.

According to a recent news release; Willowridge High School Alumni is hosting its Annual "Operation Backpack" Supply Drive to benefit Fort Bend ISD. Willowridge High School will host its second annual "Operation Backpack" Supply Drive to collect needed school supplies for students on Saturday, August 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the circle drive in front of the school (at 16301 Chimney Rock, Houston, TX 77053). The event is being sponsored by The Willowridge High School Class of 1990 and other school alumni. For more information, please contact Dr. Joe Coleman, Willowridge High School principal, at 281-634-2450.

St. Peter's United Methodist in Katy is hosting a Backpack Drive through their Helping Kids Ministry. They need your help in collecting new or gently-used backpacks for homeless children in the Katy ISD. Please place your donations in the container in the Lobby of St. Peter's United Methodist Church at 20775 Kingsland Blvd. Katy, Texas 77450 Phone: 281.492.8031 by Aug. 15.

Houston YMCA's are hosting their sixth annual YMCA Operation Backpack, Houston's largest school supply drive, to help more than 40,000 Houston area children. Last year, YMCA Operation Backpack collected more than 18,356 backpacks and about 167,742 school supplies to benefit area children. This year's drive began July 10 and continues until August 15, 2010.

"Many of us remember going to the store with our parents and picking out a brand new backpack and supplies for the school year," said Jamie Clark, YMCA chaplain. With the current state of the economy, many parents just don't have the money to buy the supplies their kids need to start the school year. That can be disheartening to the parent, but it can also be disheartening to the child. The YMCA wants to help those families help their kids have a successful year."

Drop-off locations are as follows in Katy:

• Katy Family YMCA, 22807 Westheimer Parkway;

• The Fellowship at Cinco Ranch, 22765 Westheimer Parkway;

• Tradition Bank at all three Katy locations;

• Grand Vision, 1534 S. Grand Parkway;

• Shoe Carnival at Katy Mills Mall; and

• Don McGill Toyota, 21555 Katy Freeway.

Throughout the Houston area, you can make donations at Shoe Carnival, Toyota Dealerships, and at Houston area YMCA centers.

This is the first year that monetary donations can also be made online at www.ymcaoperationbackpack.org, as well as find additional information, including a suggested list of school supplies. To learn more, call 713-659-5566 or visit them online at www.ymcahouston.org.

The Houston Independent School District is the largest school district in Texas and the seventh-largest in the United States with 296 schools and more than 200,000 students. The 301-square-mile district is one of the largest employers in the Houston metropolitan area with nearly 30,000 employees. As a result of tremendous academic gains in recent years, a record 157 HISD schools achieved Texas' top ratings of Exemplary or Recognized in 2008.

While you are picking up school supplies, backpacks and lunch boxes this year why not pick up a little something extra for the Houston area students in need?

Sources:

http://activerain.com

http://blogs.har.com

http://www.houstonisd.org

Katy Times

http://www.stpeterskaty.org