It seems summer has flown by all too fast, but somehow it’s that time of year again… Back-to-School!!

 

It can be an exciting time for kids to start a new grade and see all of the friends they may not have seen during the summer. But it can also be a time of anxiety for many parents and teachers alike. What are parents to do if they don’t have the funds to send their kids back to school with the basic supplies necessary? Walmart uses slogans like, “Supply them for Success.” Is this not far from the truth? Students who are prepared with the things they need are able to learn more effectively in the classroom.

Even with the promotional sales at your local Staples, Target, and Kohl’s stores, the cost of school supplies are rising. Huntington Bank releases an annual Backpack Index analysis and say parents should expect to pay up to 9 percent more this year preparing their kids for heading back to school.Backpack & Supplies

 

  • $649 for elementary school children (1% increase compared to 2014)
  • $941 for middle school children (2.5% increase compared to 2014)
  • $1,402 for high school students (a whopping 9% jump compared to 2014)

 

If these costs are daunting and something that you are simply not in a position to absorb, there are many programs available to help. We all want to see healthy and happy children learning in a positive environment. Part of that equation involves the right supplies and we at PAC want to make sure your child is fully equipped to take the upcoming school year by storm! Did you participate in the Instagram contest we just ran giving away a brand new backpack, pencils, and a $50 Visa Gift card!? If not, then head on over to our friends at Hopelink serving the greater Seattle area. Based on your household size and income you may qualify to receive assistance. They make school supplies available for pickup during the last two weeks in August (that started yesterday!). If you are in a position to donate, please be aware that Hopelink would love donations of the most needed supplies such as: graph paper, large scissors, calculators, composition notebooks, and USB flash drives.

 

New Girl Season 4 Episode 20

As a student, I never realized how much teachers also struggle to get their students the items they need to properly learn. This post is quite fitting as I just watched the episode of New Girl from season 4 where Jess (Zooey Deschanel) goes to a “charity” golf tournament to “network” in order to ask for new computers for her classroom. She risks public humiliation in order to provide for her students. What a beautiful thing our teachers do for our communities. Crayons to computers is a free store for teachers in the state of Ohio that service 305 schools in the area. Not only are teachers able to get supplies like poster board and flashcards, but they are able to provide students with backpacks, paper, pencils, whatever it is that they may need to succeed. With the help of donations from foundations and companies like PAC, Crayons to computers is able to distribute $12 million worth of school supplies to kids every year. That may be a lot of notebooks and pencils, but there are still more who need your help.

 

To find out how you can make a difference, please feel free to contact us via email [email protected] or phone 1.800.535.0039 or reach out to the organizations I mentioned directly. All the best to you and your family as the new school year begins!