By John Bailey
Every educator has one...a stash of extra classroom supplies, according to Webb A. Murray Elementary Principal Angela Garcia.
"Sometimes we get a call from a mother who will say, she went shopping, but has four students in school and all of them have notebooks and pencils because she thinks that is what is the most important, but then can’t buy all of them crayons and scissors,” Garcia said.
The principal said that’s when a teacher’s extra supplies come in handy, and this year the Catawba County United Way (CCUW) was able to help share more than 6,100 items among every local public school.
The CCUW’s annual Stuff the Bus school supply drive wrapped earlier in August and the items were distributed to all three local public school districts – Catawba County, Hickory Public and Newton-Conover City Schools.
The United Way received more than $800 dollars in monetary donations to purchase additional supplies.
Sixteen collection partners helped the CCUW as drop-off points this year including: West Rock, Catawba Valley Medical Center, Peoples Bank, St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Partnership for Children, Trinity Ridge, Century Furniture, Hickory Chair, Paramount Automotive, A Women’s View, Catawba Co. Government, Catawba Co. Library system, Cloninger Ford Hickory, Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, Authentic Church and ZF Chassis Components.
"Again, every parent puts out their best effort and this is just a way we can reach out and help complete those needs for the students," Garcia said.
"Every child having everything they need every single day, it allows us to break down barriers and provide an equity based approach to learning for every child and the donated supplies make that possible."
Parents can access the items donated through the United Way school supply drive by making a request from their child’s school guidance counselor.
For more information about the Catawba County United Way’s mission or how you can help with future community outreach projects call 828-327-6851 or visit ccunitedway.com.
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