Author: Kate DeSilva
School supplies collected by staff at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services’ WorkSource East office in Goldsboro. Pictured from left to right are Amanda Cummings, Community Employment Program Director; Joyce Woodruff, Child Care Instructor; Regina Strickland, Food Service I Instructor; Pam Kendall, Customer Service Instructor; and Christy Dawson, Case Manager.
Sept. 10, 2018 – Governor Roy Cooper’s 2nd annual School Supply Drive wrapped up last month, with over 3,000 boxes of supplies collected for schools across the state by DHHS and state employees as well as residents.
Along with the boxes, the supply drive also raised $10,000 in donations to help schools with greater needs to purchase addi
tional supplies.
On Aug. 30, DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen visited the Wright School in Durham to drop off supplies. The school, operated by DHHS, provides mental health treatment to children ages 6 to 12.
Earlier in the day, NC Department of Revenue Secretary Ronald Penny, along with Broughton Hospital’s Psychiatric Unit Administrator Olga Propst and Burke County school officials, visited Mountain View Elementary School in Morganton to drop off supplies collected by DOR and Broughton Hospital staff.
Governor Roy Cooper also delivered supplies to Hidden Valley Elementary School in Charlotte on Sept. 6.
“This has been an incredible effort, but as I’ve said before, it’s my hope that one day supply drives like this one won’t be necessary,” Gov. Cooper said. “Until then, we should do all we can to support teachers in their work and this year’s School Supply Drive is a meaningful step forward.”
The School Supply Drive’s goal was to help address unmet classrooms needs in North Carolina public schools so that teachers do not have to dip into their own pockets to cover the cost of classroom supplies. On average, teachers spend about $500 of their own money for classroom supplies.
Donation bins were available in state government buildings and all State Employee Credit Union branch buildings. Residents were also encouraged to organize their own drives. Supplies collected included paper, pens, pencils, USB flash drives, dry erase markers, spiral notebooks, sanitizing wipes and tissues.
The annual school drive would not have been successful without the donations from state government offices, SECU branches and North Carolina residents.
The School Supply Drive was a collaborative effort among the North Carolina Governor’s Office, the North Carolina Business Committee on Education, State Employees Credit Union, and Communities In Schools.