Aurora Methodists set school supplies giveaway No. 10
Aurora Methodists' 10th annual school supplies giveaway for needy students will be Saturday, Aug. 12.
Supplies will be distributed first-come, first-served, from 9 to 11 a.m. or until supplies are distributed, at Wesley United Methodist Church, 14 N. May St. in Aurora.
The community-based effort, co-sponsored by Wesley and Fourth Street UMC churches, both in Aurora, serves students in East and West Aurora school districts.
More than 300 students were served last year. Since its inception in 2008, more than 2,000 students have been helped. Students need not attend to get school supplies and backpacks.
About 50 volunteers from both churches will pack backpacks with supplies Friday and hand out supplies Saturday.
Donations have come from individuals, churches and community organizations including Aurora Noon Lions Club which made a second annual $100 donation.
The public is invited to contribute funds or supplies. Supplies needed are three-ring binders, two-pocket folders, highlighters, 24-pack crayons, washable markers, spiral-bound notebooks, black-ink pens, blue-ink pens, 12-inch rulers with inches and centimeters, supply boxes, round-tip scissors, No. 2 pencils, pink erasers and glue sticks.
Donations will be accepted at Wesley UMC, 14 N. May St. and Fourth St. UMC, 551 S. Fourth St., both in Aurora.
Wesley office hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday and Thursday. Fourth St. UMC office hours are 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Friday.
Batavia resident Rev. Gary Hougen, Wesley UMC outreach coordinator and a retired UMC pastor, is directing the effort. He said the goal is to assist more than 300 needy Aurora students with supplies for school.
About 350 pupils received supplies during last year's distribution at Greenman Elementary School in Aurora. The school was "adopted" by Wesley UMC several years ago.
Rev. Hougen said, "The distribution is sponsored by Aurora United Methodist churches, individuals, businesses and churches that care about the education and health of local children. This is a community effort to give necessary school supplies to students who could not otherwise afford them.
"We care that kids should have the tools to learn with at school," Rev. Hougen said. "We hope to distribute backpacks of school supplies to students from all grades from the East and West Aurora school districts."
Both the value of the supplies and monetary donations are tax deductible.
For more information, call (630) 896-1033 or (630) 897-5257 or email Nicole.wumc@gmail.com.