School supplies for those in need

Shelves are filled with binders, backpacks and crayons as parents begin thinking back-to-school, but for some the price tags are daunting.

The Okotoks Family Resource Centre has partnered with Staples again this year to provide assistance to families with children attending school in Okotoks, Black Diamond, Turner Valley or DeWinton.

Donations by the public are put toward $65 gift cards for parents to use while doing their back-to-school shopping.

Staples general manager Vince Santos said the program has been successful for five years. This will be his second year being involved in the school supply drive, and he said it means more to him now than before.

Last year when he delivered gift cards to the resource centre, he met a couple of young children who were laughing and playing on the couches while their mother met with resource centre program director Sherri Mullen to collect her cards.

“The kids had no idea why she was there, that she needed help to get them what they needed for school,” said Santos. “That really struck me. I’m even more passionate about the program this year after seeing how important it is first-hand.”

Beginning Aug. 2, Staples began taking point-of-sale donations to the school supply drive at the till. Santos said so far it looks like it will be able to meet its $7,000 goal.

Last year the program raised $3,000, a couple thousand shy of its goal of $5,000, he said. One week in, donations are on-track and looking better than 2015.

He said part of the public interest in the program is funds raised go directly to local families.

“It’s our area, it’s not a corporate thing,” said Santos. “All the stores support their own local areas.”

He said donations to-date have ranged from as little as 50 cents to as much as $50.

In the next couple of weeks, gift cards will begin making their way over to the Okotoks Family Resource Centre so some families who have been approved for funding can get a jump start on their shopping, he said.

Mullen said 20 children were on the list at the end of the first week of August. In 2015 the school supply drive helped 159 kids, but she expects the number to drop slightly this year as junior high and senior high students are no longer eligible.

“With the increase in demand, we’ve decided not to offer them anymore,” said Mullen. “Even last year we came up a little short so this year we weren’t confident we could find that level of funding for everyone.”

She said she’s sure the program will support all elementary-level students whose parents apply. Families will either receive a $65 gift card to put toward supplies, or they can opt to have the funds go toward fees for school-provided supplies.

Application forms can be found online or at the resource centre office in the urgent care building, and families must provide proof of income to indicate need, Mullen said.

For a family of four, the maximum income is $45,400 or less. Single parents with one child must make less than $30,500 to qualify. Income includes spousal or child support payments but not government assistance, she said.

Donations can be made at Staples, or for a tax receipt, people can donate directly to the Okotoks Family Resource Centre, she said.

With a goal of $7,000 and no idea how many families may be applying, Mullen said the program is relying heavily on the generosity of others.

“This year, with so many families affected with layoffs and such, we’re really not sure what to expect,” said Mullen. “We just know the need is out there and we’re grateful for all the help and support in the community.”

Applications for the program will be accepted until Aug. 26, and donations can be made until Sept. 11.