School supplies may seem like minor items for families to purchase for their elementary school children as they head back to school. Not having them because of their increased cost, though, can pose barriers to learning.
The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and its partner First National Bank have been working to eradicate that obstacle with their annual Tools for Schools event. This Thursday and Friday 175 volunteers will unload those supplies, assemble 10,000 kits and pack them for delivery to 30 Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland county school districts.
Students will find in them classroom essentials, including crayons, markers, pencils, erasers, pencil kits, glue sticks, scissors and folders, according to a United Way news release. This is the fifth time for this ongoing effort, building upon what started in the midst of 2020 classroom shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials then looked for a way to provide 250 classroom teachers with supplies for their students.
The project has moved on and shifted with advice from education experts as to what students will receive the supplies. This year kindergarten, first and second grade students will find the kits on their desks on the first day of school.
United Way leaders said this is one of their organization’s most beloved volunteer events. The nonprofit is “committed to helping kids build for success in school and life, and providing essential supplies to students is a great way to kickstart motivation, imagination and dedication to school,” according to the news release.
The other driver? Inflation and financial realities for residents of the five-county region. “The cost of school supplies has skyrocketed,” the United Way reported. “Hard-working families are having trouble deciding if they can still afford paper and pencils after putting food on the table.”
It fits the United Way’s mission as it works to address disparities in educational and social opportunities for children across the region by helping families gain digital access and digital literacy skills, creating attendance challenges to encourage kids to be present in school, and providing kindergarten readiness programs for younger students.
Wendy Koch, United Way senior director of regional engagement, said this project has evolved as volunteers first packed larger kits for classrooms. Since then, the goal has remained consistent: provide 10,000 student kits.
She explained that initially schools had received COVID-19 aid that helped fill their budget gaps and enabled them to purchase needed supplies. That funding has ended, so that is a motivator to continue the project. The United Way’s educational experts also stressed that the project needed to focus on younger students.
The overall increase in supply costs this year required United Way to supplement the funding First National Bank provided. Koch said the bank has been a great partner in the effort, and it provides most of the volunteers who help in all stages of the project. The rest come from other partners and people who also love the project and want to come back every year to help.
Thursday the volunteers, working in two-hour shifts, will unpack the supplies and then place the items into clear plastic bags, which Koch said helps maximize the number of items in each one as opposed to stuffing them into backpacks. Each shift packs 3,000 to 3,500 kits. Friday is the distribution day, with volunteers helping to load the kits when the participating school districts come to pick them up.
Emily Mather, Kiski Area School District’s director of curriculum for K-6 grades and federal programs, said traditionally the staff there has asked for the maximum number of kits the United Way can provide for students. “It really creates less barriers,” she said.
The Kiski Area process is an internal team effort, and primary and elementary administrators and staff are a huge part of the application and distribution of the kits, Mather said. Maintenance employees ensure classroom delivery so they are ready for the students when they arrive on that first day.
This year school begins there on Sept. 3, slightly delayed from prior start dates because of a renovation project in the district. If students and their parents attend an open house just prior to that date, they will get their kits then. If not, they will be on students’ desks.
Kiski Area had requested 900 kits, and Koch said the United Way could fulfill that total number. Mather said that is huge for her district, teachers and students.
“It is an incredible support. The cost of school supplies is tremendous,” said Mather, who joined the district two years ago. “We have to be very careful when we budget [for supplies] every year and ensure an appropriate connection to curriculum. It’s an incredible support because we are always trying to alleviate those barriers. That way [parents and the students] are not thinking, ‘Do I have what I need?’ Along with the teachers, they can concentrate on the curriculum.”
A simple welcome message from the United Way and First National Bank accompanies the kits, Koch said, so their families know where the supplies come from. They also include a PA 211 card from the United Way in case families have additional needs. The service connects people with health and human services for everyday needs and crisis situations, according to its website.
Koch, who oversees many United Way community outreach projects, cites Tools for Schools as one of her favorites.
“We just really want to make sure the kids are prepared for their upcoming school year, and we’re encouraging them to be excited about coming to school and removing any barriers and providing support to families with help on their budgets,” she said. “Sometimes we get caught up in the monotony of packing the bags. We have to remember all those kids on the receiving end and those smiles that will be on their faces. It puts things into perspective.”
Helen is a copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but she's currently on strike. Contact her at hfallon@unionprogress.com.