As you head up and down the school supply aisles in the coming weeks, consider teaching your children a valuable lesson: The joy of helping others.
Each year, thousands of kids in Central Texas show up without any school supplies. Their teachers often end up donating out of their own pockets or kids just do without, making their school day much tougher than their peers.
Here are a few places that would love to have your supplies or monetary donation. For organizations that just want a monetary donation, consider doing a neighborhood lemonade stand, bake sale or using some allowance to make the act of giving more personal.
As you hit the school supply aisle, think about donating supplies to other kids. DEBORAH CANNON / AMERICAN STATESMAN
For the Children Inc.
About: For the Children Inc. provides basic school supplies to children that qualify for the federal free and reduced price lunch program with the goal to reach all elementary school children in more than 10 school districts in Central Texas.
How to donate: Make a monetary donation at schoolsuppliesforthechildren.org/donate/. $25 will support seven students, $50 will support 14 students, $100 will support 28 students. A $10 recurring monthly gift will help 40 students. Now through Aug. 14, H-E-B will have tear-off coupons at the register as well. On Aug. 8 from 6-9 a.m., Rudy’s Barbecue & Country Store at 11570 Research Blvd. will give free breakfast tacos to the first 150 people. You can drop off your donation there.
How to get supplies: Apply with your school’s counselor or principal. The supplies get delivered to the school.
Information: schoolsuppliesforthechildren.org
Foundation Communities
About: Foundation Communities provides housing assistance, tax preparation, English as a second language and more help. It’s looking to give its 1,100 kids who live at its properties school supplies.
How to donate: You can make a monetary donation at foundcom.org but you also can drop off all kinds of school supplies and backpacks at the Community Financial Center at 2600 W. Stassney Lane, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 27.
How to get supplies: You have to live in Foundation Communities’ apartments.
Information: foundcom.org
Manos de Cristo
About: Manos de Cristo helps people with low incomes in a variety of way. For its school supply drives it provides a backpack, school supplies, two sets of clothing, socks and underwear to more than 2,000 students.
How to donate: Make a donation at manosdecristo.org/BTS2017 A $60 donation helps one child.
How to get supplies: Supplies are given away at the IDEA Montopolis School, 1701 Vargas Road,. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. July 30-Aug. 2 and 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Aug. 3, while supplies last. The supplies are for children Pre-K through fifth grade.
Information: manosdecristo.org/BTS2018
Communities in Schools
About: This organization in schools helps the 120,000 children in Central Texas who have family challenges such as poverty and hunger. It supplies students it serves with backpacks and supplies, hygiene kits and socks and underwear.
How to donate: Donate online at ciscentraltexas.org/supplydrive/. There are a couple of levels: $18.20 for a backpack and all the supplies for one kid; $28 for a backpack, supplies, socks, underwear and hygiene kit for one kid; $40 for a new uniform or school logo and shoes for one kid; and $68 for a backpack, supplies, new shirt and shoes for one kid.
How to get supplies: Supplies are given to the children Communities in School serves. Ask your school if it is served by them and how to enroll in its program.
Information: ciscentraltexas.org/supplydrive/
Salvation Army Back to School Drive
About: The Salvation Army houses families including 100 children in its emergency shelters.
How to donate: The Salvation Army is looking for monetary donations as well as these supplies: tissue, colored paper, blue and black pens, rulers, glue, scissors, combination locks, gallon zip-top bags, hand-sanitizer, binders, backpacks, crayons, composition books, markers, spiral notebooks, flash drives as well as clothing. You also can organize a group drive as well. The administration office is at 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 231, or you can drop it off at Spirit 105.9 Radio Station at 3600 N. Capital of Texas Highway. You can also shop Salvation Army’s Walmart and Amazon online wish list.
How to get supplies: You have to be housed in the emergency shelters.
Information: salvationarmyaustin.org/get-involved/back-to-school-drive/
SafePlace School Supply Drive
About: SafePlace houses about 300 kids each year with their families because of domestic violence.
How to donate: SafePlace is looking for pencil pouches, wide-ruled composition books, construction paper, folders, large pink erasers, handwriting paper, watercolors, colored pencils, glue sticks, scissors, highlighters, plastic supply boxes, dividers, calculators, tissues, hand sanitizer, gallon-sized zip-top bags. Drop off supplies at SafePlace’s warehouse, 1401 Grover Ave. during warehouse hours, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, or you can pick from its Amazon wish list.
How to get supplies: You have to be housed by SafePlace.
Information: safeaustin.org
Build a Backpack for City of Austin employees
About: City employees can build a backpack by going to austintexas.gov/buildabackpack and following the instructions. Drop off backpacks 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 27 at City Hall.
How to get supplies: The backpacks get distributed to AISD schools. Last year, employees donated 1,418 backpacks.
Information: austintexas.gov/buildabackpack
Last year Bryan Mondragon, 7, yells for his mother and siblings to wait up as he packs his new backpack with more school supplies during the Austin Independent School District’s Back to School Bash 2015 held at the Palmer Events Center. RODOLFO GONZALEZ / AMERICAN-STATESMAN
TruWest Credit Union Backpack Drive
About: Through Aug. 17, TruWest Credit Union’s four Austin locations are collecting backpacks for sixth- through 12th-graders.
How to donate: Drop off at any TruWest branch.
How to get supplies: The drive benefits children served by Con Mi Madre.
Information: truwest.org
AISD Back to School Bash
About: Get free backpacks and supplies, medical screenings and vaccinations with shot record, and haircuts and more. Noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 4. Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road. Buses leave from Guerrero Thompson and Summitt elementary schools; Bedichek, Martin, Mendez and Covington middle schools; and Lanier and Reagan high schools. austinisd.org/bash
Bastrop Back to School Bash
About: 1,600 students in the Bastrop ISD will receive supplies through this program.
How to get supplies: Backpacks filled with supplies will be given out at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 28 before Back to School Bash, 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the Bastrop ISD Memorial Stadium in Cedar Creek.
Information: bisdtx.org
Round Rock ISD Partners in Education Foundation Back to School Celebration
About: Donate supplies for about 8,000 students served last year at this supply Round Rock school district supply drive.
How to donate: The foundation is looking for school supplies, but also monetary donations to buy supplies in bulk at rrisdeducationfoundation.org/school-supplies
How to get supplies: Come to Supplies Sunday, Aug. 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock.
Information: rrisdeducationfoundation.org/school-supplies
Hindu Charities for America & Jewish Federation of Greater Austin
About: The two groups come together to donate supplies for 1,500 homeless children in Austin, Manor Del Valle and Pflugerville school districts.
How to donate: More than $27,000 was raised last spring. You can volunteer to pack supplies 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 12 at the Dell Jewish Community Center, 7300 Hart Lane.
Information: HC4A.org
Travis County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Service Department No. 5 Back to School Supply Drive
About: Through Aug. 2, the sheriff’s office and ESD No. 5 will be collecting supplies and then distributing them on Aug. 4.
How to donate: Drop off crayons, pencils, markers, pens, highlighters, erasers, scissors, glue, rulers, notebook paper, construction paper, notebooks, folders and backpacks at Keith G. Ruiz Building, 5555 Airport Blvd.; East Command, 7811 Burleson Manor Road; West Command, 3800 Hudson Bend Road; Travis County Tax Office / County Clerk, 5501 Airport Blvd.; Travis County Correctional Complex, 3614 Bill Price Road., Del Valle; Blackwell – Thurman Criminal Justice Center, 509 W. 11th St.; Blackwell – Thurman Criminal Justice Center, 509 W. 11th St.
How to get supplies: Supplies are given first-come, first-served 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 4, at Travis County ESD #5 / Manchaca Fire Rescue, 665 FM 1626.
Information: traviscountytx.gov