Rochester Salvation Army Teams Up with Local Businesses to Collect School Supplies, Gifting Items To Kids In Need
All in need are welcome to receive stuffed bookbags on September 1st
Rochester, NY – Thousands of families in our area are facing the upcoming challenge of heading back to school. Providing children with the school supplies they need to succeed can place a additional burden on those who are already experiencing economic struggles today.
To meet this need, The Salvation Army of Greater Rochester worked with local businesses who collected school supplies during their annual Stuff the Bus Campaign. Between August 1st – 25th, companies including Ide Family of Dealerships, Five Star Bank, Sydor Technologies and Butler/Till held internal and public donation drives that totaled 5,000 items collectively. Walmart Superstores in Gates and Henrietta allowed Salvation Army volunteers to share school supply lists with shoppers, who in turn purchases and donated more than 1,500 educational items in just four hours.
The Salvation Army is now looking to distribute backpacks stuffed with these school supplies throughout Monroe County. A walk-in distribution event will occur this Friday, September 1st. Bookbags with pencils, notebooks, crayons and more will be available from 12:00pm to 4:00pm at The Salvation Army’s Northwest location 100 West Ave Rochester NY 14611.
“By sharing school supplies with local children, we empower them to have a smooth academic start and as a result, achieve more throughout the school year,” said Major Rick Starkey, Director of County Operations for The Salvation Army of Greater Rochester. “It’s a boost that many need in both confidence and support.”
Rochester’s Salvation Army has partnered with various local businesses for more than 30 years to meet community needs through a range of social services, helping individuals and families overcome poverty and economic hardships. Annually, The Salvation Army of Rochester provides more than 4,000 meals and serves more than 10,000 individuals with clothing, meal vouchers, essential supplies and emergency housing.
To learn more and find out how you can get involved with your local Salvation Army, visit rochesterny.salvationarmy.org
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operations around the country. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org.