School supply donations sought

Project Backpack, a community based initiative to benefit students in need, is accepting donations of school supplies now through Sunday, Aug. 1 at 10 area locations, including both campuses of Elgin Community College at 51 S. Spring St. in downtown Elgin and 1700 Spartan Drive in southwest Elgin.

Supplies will be distributed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14 at ECC's Spartan Events Center to students who provide proof of residency or school enrollment in Community Unit District 300, Elgin Area School District U-46 or ECC for fall 2010. There is a limit of one backpack per student.

Donations of the following school supplies are sought: folders (two pocket, solid colors only); notebooks (one subject, wide rule, solid colors only); packs of loose leaf/filler paper (150/200 count, wide rule); packages of pencils (10 count, standard no. 2, yellow wood); black pens; scissors (gender neutral); glue sticks (0.21 oz.); rulers (wood or gender neutral color); packs of crayons (24 ct./Crayola preferred); and gender neutral backpacks

In addition to ECC, donations are being collected at other sites including the Community Crisis Center in Elgin; United Way in Elgin; Community Unit District 300 "Fill the Bus" event; Elgin Township Office; Delnor Hospital in Geneva; School District U-46 Educational Services Center; Elgin State Bank; and the Salvation Army offices in Elgin and Carpentersville.

For information, contact Elgin Community College's Office of Student Life at (847) 214-7370.

Sponsors of the event from ECC are Office of Student Life; Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society; Faculty Association; Admissions Office; and Workforce Transitions Office. Community sponsors are the United Way of Elgin; Community Crisis Center; Elgin Area School District U-46; Community Unit District 300; and Kane County Regional Office of Education.