Help Kids Succeed

School Supply Program

In July each year, TEF staff and volunteers fill over 1,500 new backpacks with high quality school supplies to be ready for students and families who need a little financial help preparing for the new school year. This number reflects 1 in every 10 students in Thompson School District and illustrates the needs within our community. The Help Kids Succeed school supply programs ensures that supply-filled backpacks are available to any student who needs one.

An economically vulnerable student may have multiple stress points in their family life that can interfere with focus in the classroom. Having necessary school supplies provided for the first day of school removes one stress barrier immediately, opening a pathway to confidence and classroom success.

TEF’s Help Kids Succeed school supply program will be more important in 2020 than ever before. When school starts, students will have been away from their buildings since March. It’s too soon to know what the school landscape will look like in August – in-school learning, remote learning or a blend of both – but in any scenario, school supplies will still be necessary for success. Our community’s economy has been hard hit and not everyone will be able to keep up with expenses this summer. TEF will increase the backpack program by 20% to meet anticipated need.

Backpack prep will take place during the weeks of July 20. Volunteer sign up will begin on July 9 (see button above). Stuffing will be at Conrad Ball Middle School with limitations on the number of volunteers allowed to help with each shift. TEF will follow COVID-19 safety practices for sanitizing and distancing.

DOES YOUR STUDENT NEED A BACKPACK?
Backpacks will be available at the school your student is registered to attend starting on Monday, August 3. This is the earliest date your student could get a backpack. Individual schools may have different open times for pickup. Please check with your school. VERY IMPORTANT: If you have students of different ages in different schools, you must got to each school. Elementary, Middle and High school students have different supplies in their backpacks.

$20 FILLS A BACKPACK

TEF welcomes donations for the Help Kids Succeed school supply program! When donating, consider that a new backpack filled with supplies for a K-12 student can cost $75 or more. TEF partners with purchasing providers to offer the same filled backpack for $20, allowing your support to go further to benefit more students. A gift of $100 will provide backpacks for FIVE students! We accept donations year round for Help Kids Succeed.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

While school children celebrate summer break, Thompson Education Foundation staff and volunteers are focused on the Help Kids Succeed program by sorting school supplies and stuffing backpacks. Volunteers make Help the Kids Succeed program possible: each year, over 200 volunteers help with the July packing event! If you're interested in volunteering, watch for notices to sign up for our Help Kids Succeed packing day next year.

Does your student need a backpack?

If your family needs help with obtaining school supplies, please request backpacks in August at the school your student is registered to attend. For example if you have an elementary student and a middle school student, a backpack should be requested at each school (supplies differ between elementary/middle/high school).