Help Crayons for Kids with school supply drive

Submitted by Marmion Academy and Rosary High School

With the impending school year approaching, student-run organization Crayons for Kids invites community members to lend a hand to local students in need by supporting its annual school supply drive from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, and Sunday, Aug. 19, at local participating Jewel-Osco stores.

Since its inception in 2005, Marmion Academy and Rosary High School’s program Crayons for Kids has collected more than 150,000 packages of school supplies that have been dispersed to more than 80 public and parochial schools and agencies.

This year, their goal is to surpass the 175,000 packages mark so that they can continue to increase the number of students and families that their program reaches.

“The mentality behind the program is that equality in the classroom is very important to the education process,” says program founder Brian Zimmerman. “When kids don’t have school supplies, they are immediately at a disadvantage academically.”

The success of the program relies almost entirely on the participation of donors, who are asked to contribute any extra school supply items they can. These items are boxed and delivered to local schools, where they are distributed to students whose families may not have the capacity to fulfill every requirement that school supply lists demand.

“In these tough economic times, the recipients of our aid are incredibly grateful for what Crayons for Kids is able to provide. Teachers and principals tell us that kids’ faces light up when they are told that a friend bought these supplies for them. They know someone out there cares about them,” Zimmerman said.

For more information on how you can help, as well as detailed location dates, visit www.marmion.org.