You can donate cash, school supplies to help kids in the classroom

Darla Lindauer, Oklahoman
·5 min read
School supplies
School supplies

A simple donation of crayons, pencils, paper — or even cash — can make a difference as students head back to school.

Many families have financial stressors that influence how prepared they are for sending their children to school. And, when students come to school without supplies like paper and pencils, teachers sometimes end up spending their own money to have enough supplies for all the children.

Here are some suggested supplies that can be dropped off at any school, or see a list of charitable foundations collecting donations below:

  • No. 2 pencils.

  • Mechanical pencils.

  • Pens (black, blue, and red).

  • College- and wide-ruled loose-leaf notebook paper.

  • Printer paper.

  • Glue sticks.

  • Bottle of white glue.

  • Erasers.

  • Crayons.

  • Colored pencils.

  • Composition notebook.

  • 1- and 2-inch binders.

  • Subject dividers.

  • Pencil sharpeners.

  • Highlighters.

  • Box of tissue.

  • Clorox wipes.

  • Hand sanitizer.

  • Backpacks.

  • Ziploc bags.

  • Blunt-tip scissors.

  • Watercolor paints.

  • Washable markers.

  • Pocket folders.

  • Spiral notebooks.

Ways to donate:

Comanche Cares Hosts Annual Back-to-School Supplies Drive - All Comanche Nation Entertainment properties will accept donations noon to 10 p.m. every Sunday through Tuesday in July. Donations must be new and unused and will benefit Southwest Oklahoma students. Comanche Player’s Club members who donate can receive up to $50 in Comanche Credit. For more information, go to www.comanchenationentertainment.com.

The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools’ Kit-a-Kid program — For a $25 donation, the foundation will be able to provide a child with everything they need for the school year. Go to okckids.com to make a donation. For more information, call 405-604-5977.

Support a classroom, build a future program — Get crayons, books, cleaning supplies, technology and more to help students get back to learning. Search by location at DonorsChoose.org.

Positive Tomorrows — Specifically serving children and families experiencing homelessness, needs include items like food, clothing, school supplies and personal care items. Arrangements to drop off items can be made by calling 405-556-5082. For more information on donations, go to https://www.positivetomorrows.org/donate-form/.

Urban Mission backpack program — Provides school supplies for local children. Students from Pre-K to college age are accepted for the program. To donate, go to www.urbanmissionokc.org. Donations are accepted year-round. For more information, call 405-946-1556.

Sharing Tree’s Classroom Connection — Helps kids in need to get school uniforms. Donations can be dropped off at 825 NW 24 in Moore. Financial donations can be made online at https://sharingtreeok.org/. For more information, call 405-634-2006.

United Way of Norman’s Stuff the Bus — The program distributes free school supplies to low-income families in Norman and some surrounding communities and assists students in Pre-K through 12th grade. To donate, go to https://www.unitedwaynorman.org/. For more information, call 405-329-2025.

Feed the Children’s Teacher Store — Classroom essentials are needed. Thousands of teachers from pre-approved Title I schools visit the Teacher Store to shop for school supplies at no cost to them or the school district. To donate, go to https://www.feedthechildren.org/resources/teacher-store/stores/oklahoma-teacher-store.html. For more information, call 800-627-4556.

Citizens Caring for Children Resource Center Back to School Program — Back2School program provides foster children with clothes and supplies needed for school. To donate or volunteer, go to https://www.cccokc.org/programs/back2school/. For more information, call 405-753-4099​.

Peppers Ranch Back to School Drive — To help foster and adopted youth get ready to go back to school, those wanting to help can shop a back-to-school Amazon wish list. To buy items, go to https://a.co/8FolzOH. Items can be dropped off or shipped directly to the corporate office, 3200 S Western Ave., Guthrie. For more information, call 405-260-1870

Youth Family Services School Supplies Product Drive — To help the children and youth in Youth and Family Services emergency shelter, counseling, foster care and smart start programs, go to https://www.yfsok.org/how-you-can-help/donate-now/. School supplies are needed for elementary through college age. For more information, call 405-262-6555.

The Moore Chamber’s Fill the Bus Campaign — Events will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 22 and 29 at the Walmart Supercenter, 501 SW 19 St., Moore. A school bus will be sitting at the front of the parking lot where shoppers may drop off donations for the drive. The National Night Out event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Warren Theater parking lot. Donations will go to Moore Public Schools. For more information and a list of essential supplies, go to moorechamber.com.

Urban League back-to-school program — Features a drive-thru event to help families in need with uniform gift cards and other resources. Parents will need to register their students. To donate, go to https://urbanleagueok.org/special-events/back-to-school-bash/. For more information, call 405-424-5243.

Remnant Church Back-to-School program — Sponsors are needed for the annual Back to School Backpack Giveaway. The backpack giveaway will be at Kiwanis Park, 1101 S Midwest Blvd., Midwest City. To donate, go to https://tinyurl.com/yf387zvc or send donations via Cash App @ $RemnantChurchOkc or mail checks to P.O. Box 30184, Midwest City, OK 73140.

Project 66 Back to School program — Students in need can receive school supplies, backpacks, shoes, haircuts and lunch. School Supply donations can be brought to Project 66, 2612 S Kelly Ave., Edmond. To donate online, go to https://www.project66.org/donations. For more information, email execdirector@project66.org or call 405-341-1353.

Family of Faith Church — Geared for kindergarten through fifth grade, donations of school supplies and clothing will be accepted before event on Aug. 13 at 13500 SE 15, Choctaw. For more information, call 405-769-8751.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Help Oklahoma schools by donating back-to-school supplies