School supplies available for D15 families in need

More than 1,000 children in the District 15 have received beginning-of-year school supplies through the generous donations of a variety of local programs.

While the number of donations from these programs has slightly decreased since last year, economic conditions have remained dire for many District 15 families that need free school supplies. Paul Budin, social work services coordinator, is hopeful, though, that the District can meet the needs of its students by carefully distributing this influx of donated supplies.

Palatine Township provided the most supplies for District 15 students through its Apple Tree Campaign. Each spring, Palatine Township pre-registers children to receive their fall school supplies through the Apple Tree Campaign. The township works with school social workers to identify which families need help purchasing supplies, the cost of which may range from $25 to $60 or more at the outset of the school year.

This year, more than 500 District 15 families of just less than 950 students signed up.

Once the township has collected and distributed school supplies to these families, leftover supplies are given to the District, and, upon request, are available for school staff to distribute to students in need while supplies last. This year, the township also gave a generous donation from its Needy Family Fund to help the District purchase additional supplies later in the year after certain items become depleted.

While Palatine Township's Apple Tree Campaign is the District's largest donator of school supplies, it is not the District's only contributor.

The AT&T Pioneers' “Tools for Learning: Backpacks” program has again provided the District with more than 75 backpacks filled with supplies appropriate for kindergarten through sixth-grade students. Also, the Rabine Paving Foundation and the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce both donated boxes of school supplies this summer, and the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce donated $100 gift cards for Frank C. Whiteley and Thomas Jefferson Schools to use for further school supply purchases. Additionally, the District continues to receive anonymous donations and occasional contributions from students who've chosen to donate school supplies purchased with their own money.

For more information, contact Paul Budin, social work coordinator, at 847-963-3159 or budinp@ccsd15.net, or Chris Mann, social work secretary, at 847-963-3158 or mannc@ccsd15.net.

-- Story submitted by Community Consolidated School District 15