July 2, 2024
BY JOHN BAILEY
If you have children, you know how long a box of crayons or pencils or a notebook lasts during the school year – not as long as you’d like.
This is why the Catawba County United Way (CCUW) knows it’s never too early to start thinking about helping local families prepare for the new school year by supporting our annual United Way School Supply drive through July.
Donations can be dropped off at the Catawba County United Way throughout the month at 2760 Tate Blvd SE in Hickory.
Monetary donations can be mailed to the Catawba County United Way – P.O. Box 2425, Hickory, NC 28603. Make sure to mention it’s for the School Supply Drive.
New this year, the CCUW has an Amazon donation page on its website - www.ccunitedway.com/stuff-the-bus - to provide greater convenience to people who'd like to make a donation but aren't able to drop something off directly.
What’s needed: 3-ring binders, backpacks, spiral notebooks, graph paper, notebook paper (college and regular rule), pens, pencils, glue sticks, erasers, folders, crayons, colored pencils, ear buds, markers, scissors, pencil boxes, Ziplock bags (sandwich, quart, gallon), composition books.
Personal hygiene products: Kleenex, cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer, soap, feminine hygiene items, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes.
The drive benefits students in all three local public-school districts: Catawba County, Hickory Public and Newton-Conover City Schools. Supplies will be distributed to school systems the week prior to the start of classes in August, and families can access the supplies through their schools’ guidance counselor office.
Last year, the CCUW collected more than 8,600 individual items and raised more than $4,000 to help stock classroom supplies in schools.
The Catawba County United Way thanks all its current collection partners: Adult Life Programs, Ashure Ministry, Carolina Containers, Catawba Valley Insurance Agency, Catawba Co. Dept. of Social Services, Catawba Co. Library System, Catawba Valley Healthcare, Century Furniture, Corning – Hickory, CountrySide Pet Hospital, Hanes Companies, Haworth, Hickory Chair, Hickory Community Yoga and Wellness, Partnership for Children, Pace at Home, Peoples Bank, Pepsi Bottling, Patrick, Harper & Dixon, LLP, Rotary Club of Newton Conover, St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Shurtape Technologies, The Green Room Theatre, West Rock and ZF Chassis.
If you’re a local business or organization who would be interested in being a collection partner, or if you’re just willing to put up a poster or help spread the word of the drive through your social media, contact John Bailey at the CCUW (828-327-6851) or email jbailey@ccunitedway.com.