Organization collects school supplies for disadvantaged students

Communities In Schools of North Carolina (CISNC), a dropout prevention organization dedicated to empowering students to stay in school and achieve in life, is participating in a statewide partnership with Walmart to collect school supplies for economically-disadvantaged students in the state.

Rowan County’s Communities in Schools program, as well as that in Cabarrus County, will be part of the drive.

The 2011 “Build A Backpack” back-to-school supply drive is the largest school supply drive ever conducted by Walmart in North Carolina, involving all 138 Walmart stores across the state.

CISNC has identified 77 counties that will benefit from the “Build A Backpack” program. To expand its reach across the state, CISNC has partnered with other nonprofits in counties where there are Walmart stores but not a local CISNC affiliate.

The campaign, which kicks off July 17, and runs until Aug. 21, involves Walmart customers being asked at check-out to contribute $1, $5, $10 or another amount toward school supplies. Bins will be available in Walmart stores, as well, to collect donated school supply items, which will be distributed to local Communities In Schools affiliates that will then distribute the items to low-income students.

Money collected will be distributed in the form of Walmart gift cards to local Communities In Schools (CIS) affiliates and partner organizations. In August, students from local schools, accompanied by volunteers from CIS local affiliates and partner organizations, will shop for needed school supplies and other items.

“We could not be more thrilled to partner with Communities In Schools to serve our state’s students,” said Ronny Hayes, regional vice president of Walmart and board member of CISNC.

“It is our hope that the back-to-school supply drive piloted here in North Carolina, with the invaluable help of Communities In Schools to ensure that the neediest students be the recipients of the collected items, will serve as a model across the country.”

“With a presence in 42 counties across North Carolina, Communities In Schools touches North Carolina’s neediest children,” said Linda Harrill, president and CEO of CISNC. “In fact, 97 percent of the students that CIS serves are economically disadvantaged. We thank Walmart for its commitment to serve those most in need by launching such a massive and promising school supply campaign. A small investment today in ‘Build A Backpack’ will pay a big dividend in the lives of students who need the essential tools that support their success in school.”

IBM is also joining in on this drive by asking its 10,000 employees and retirees in the state to volunteer. IBMers are being encouraged to assist CISNC affiliates and/or other “Build A Backpack” partners to help students shop for school supplies, assist the affiliates in filling backpacks with school supplies or helping to collect donations at local Walmart stores.

CISNC will also work with United Way to distribute supplies in select communities. “United Way knows that a high-quality education is a critical building block for a good life,” said Jill Cox, director of communications and government relations at United Way of North Carolina. “We are pleased to work hand-in-hand with long-time partners CISNC, IBM and Walmart to ensure North Carolina’s children are equipped with the tools they need to achieve academic success when they return to school.”