Florence Christian Church’s annual School Supply Drive collects funds and purchases discounted school supplies to donate to the 26 Boone County elementary, middle, and high schools.
There are many barriers to educational success for children ranging from the growing mental health crisis and experiencing language barriers, to living in families that are stressed by job loss or homelessness. The Annual School Supply Drive at Florence Christian Church has the mission to remove one barrier to success for students in Boone County from low-income families. That barrier is access to school supplies on the first day of school.
Back-to-school drives are not uncommon, but this effort is unique in its targeted approach.
Rev. Melissa Stephens, Outreach Minister for the church, says the mission of the drive is to effectively and equitably meet the needs of as many children as possible. Therefore, the schools distribute the supplies to the children who are at school and do not have what they need.
“We communicate with the Family Resource Center Coordinators who ‘order’ supplies from us according to what the teachers are requesting,” says Stephens. “The schools get exactly what they know will be used and the students with need receive classroom specific supplies.”
This is particularly true for high school students according to Laura Mosqueda, former Conner High School Youth Services Center Coordinator.
“High school students do not have specific school supply lists like younger grades. They often get their supply lists the first day of class. For some parents/guardians who do shift work or wait for their next paycheck to get stuff for their children, this system does not work. Sometimes students are even dinged if they do not bring in their supplies by the allotted time. By allowing me to have supplies for them to access, these students are not made to feel “less than” immediately as they start school. Teachers discretely have the students see me, so they get the supplies they need. Pre-packaged items do not meet the need for high school. High school students need their own unique type of supplies and Florence Christian allows us to make that happen.”
“For students with language barriers, to have the necessary school supplies helps them to feel comfortable in knowing that they are prepared for class. They do not have to try and explain or understand what is needed and why they may or may not have it. This reduces stress for them in an already stressful situation. Not being able to effectively and clearly communicate is challenging enough. So, by providing them with the needed supplies we are easing any initial stress and anxiety about going to school,” said Kathy Roaden, Thornwilde Elementary School Family Resource Center Coordinator.
“When a family is experiencing homelessness or other dramatic life events, they have to determine what is taken care of first. They go into survival mode and school supplies will likely be low on their priority list. Not that they don’t want their children ready to attend school but worrying about paying the bills or having a safe place to sleep will take precedence. By taking one small thing off their plate, providing school supplies, gives them a little breathing room to focus on other things. This also allows for them to feel confident that at school, their child is ‘taken care of.’ This is a huge stress reliever for families facing a crisis. Removing even little barriers can make a huge impact.”
“Students who are struggling with anxiety or other mental health issues already face challenges impacting their full access to learning. By providing them with school supplies we can help bridge the gap some may face to increase their ability to participate in learning,” said Garrett Griffith, Collins Elementary Family Resource Center Coordinator.
The School Supply Drive continues through the end of July. Donations can be made at https://onrealm.org/FlorenceChristian/-/form/give/SchoolSupplies or send a check to the church at 300 Main Street, Florence KY 41042.
Florence Christian Church