Back to School: Children receive donated school supplies in Dayton

Hundreds of children in Montgomery County’s care now have school supplies and backpacks for this school year thanks to the Ohio State Coalition of Clubs, according to a media release.

Club members rolled up to the Haines Children’s Center on their motorcycles Saturday to deliver 200 stuffed backpacks.

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“This donation is critical to eliminating the stress and barriers that many of our youth face,” said Craig Rickett, Associate Director of Children Services.

For more than five years, the Ohio State COC and Montgomery County Children Services to get school supply lists from local schools and to identify the families most in need of assistance, the county said.

“This allows back-to-school time to be the exciting time it should be,” Rickett said.

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The donation comes at a time when inflation is one of the sources of additional stress for the families Children Services serve, according to the county.

Families plan to spend $864 per child on school items, an increase of $168 since prior to the pandemic, according to the National Retail Federation.

“It’s not just about paper, pens or binders,” said Tom Gauden with the Ohio State COC. “It’s about the giving the gift of opportunity in school and life that many children may not receive otherwise.”

Gauden also said having the foundational supplies for school are essential for children winning this school year.