Brandon Twp.- In August 2008, Americans spent $7.6 billion at family clothing stores and $2.4 billion at bookstores, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, as the nation prepared to send its children back to school.
But some families find it difficult to get the essentials their children need for a successful education, as they struggle with the monthly bills. Locally, the Ortonville Community Emergency Fund is trying to help and hopes the community will join their effort to equip students from low-income families with the tools they need for the school year.
‘Your donations of school supplies will bring a smile to a child and a sigh of relief and happiness to a parent who is already stressed trying to manage an extremely tight budget,? said OCEF Food Pantry Coordinator Judy Henley, who noted that about 125 families are currently visiting the OCEF pantry for assistance.
School supplies needed include spiral notebooks, pocket folders, notebook paper, composition notebooks, scissors, markers, crayons, colored pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, backpacks, pencils, pens, glue sticks, 1/2 inch 3-ring binders, rulers, pencil boxes, erasers, tissues, and bleach wipes. OCEF also welcomes donation of gift cards to Payless Shoe Source to help needy families purchase shoes for their children.
OCEF volunteers are hoping to distribute the school supplies Aug. 18, the same day as a planned clothing giveaway at St. Anne Church, 825 S. Ortonville Road. Good, gently used clothing donations are also welcomed for preschool through high school-aged students. All clothes bags should be labeled according to size and gender and clothes and school supplies can be dropped off at the church office or in the gathering area just inside the main church doors from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Cash donations to OCEF can be mailed to OCEF, P.O. Box 282, Ortonville, MI 48462.