Monday, Aug. 30, 2010

School supply drive's underwhelming proceeds won't deter organizer

Organizer: next year, people will be more aware of the drive

A school-supply drive held last weekend fell well short of its goal of 5,000 backpacks, but the organizers said they won't let that deter them.

"We are undiscouraged," organizer Nellie Muniz-Smith, a community liaison for Merced's Christian Life Center, said. "And, we know that as a community we can do better."

Department stores, businesses and several groups combined Saturday to gather school supplies for needy children, from preschool through high school, across Merced County.

Muniz-Smith said Stuff-The-Bus and other county campaigns gathered an estimated 300 backpacks worth of supplies and cash. The Los Banos location gathered $12 and about 5 backpacks worth of supplies.

Along with locations in Atwater and Merced, Target's parking lot, 1405 W. Pacheco Blvd., hosted a Los Banos Unified School District bus as a site for store patrons to donate school supplies of all kinds.

Muniz-Smith said she contacted all of the Los Banos schools and calculated 500-600 requests for students who need backpacks stuffed with supplies.

Muniz-Smith said she plans to hold another Stuff-The-Bus next summer before school starts.

"As we progress in the years [the drive is held] it's going to get pumping," Muniz-Smith said. "That's the whole thing, getting the communities excited about doing something for their communities."

Muniz-Smith said the donated cash will be used to purchase school supplies, and all of the shopping will be done locally.

Rhonda Lowe, president of the Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber got involved, because Muniz-Smith lacked connections in the Los Banos area.

Lowe said the chamber promoted the drive through e-mails and social media.

"It's our local kids [and] our local businesses that benefit from it," Lowe said. "And, we like that the money and the donations stay here in our community."

Brenda Latham, dean of Merced College's Los Banos campus, said she read about the drive and made a point to come out and donate.

"Children need to be able to have the supplies they need to feel successful in school to want to go to school, and to do well once they're there," Latham said.

Humberto Sanchez, a program manager for a re-entry facility, said he was shopping in Target when he heard about the drive going on in the parking lot, and decided to donate. He said he could relate to kids in need of supplies.

"I grew up on public assistance," Sanchez said. "So, anything we could do to give back is helpful, because there's been times when we didn't have everything that we needed."

Students in need of school supplies can take advantage of the donations by making their needs known to their teachers or any other school staff members.

AAA Insurance, 919 W. Pacheco Blvd., serves as an ongoing collection site for those who want to donate.

Enterprise staff writer Thaddeus Miller can be reached at 388-6562 or by e-mail at tmiller@losbanosenterprise.com.