'Record year': United Way distributes school supplies to Coastal Bend districts

Olivia Garrett, Corpus Christi Caller Times
·2 min read

A steady stream of school staff backed box trucks and trailers up to the HOLT CAT warehouse Tuesday, eager to pick up supplies to fill the pencil cases and backpacks of students across the Coastal Bend as they return to school.

United Way of the Coastal Bend filled the warehouse with 30 pallets of school supplies, inviting school districts to pick up their share of the donations Tuesday and Wednesday. The organization partnered with H-E-B and KRIS 6 News on the annual "Operation Supply Our Students" effort.

Flour Bluff ISD's Ted Colenga, left, and John McLaughlin load a trailer at a United Way of the Coastal Bend school supply pickup on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The local United Way donated 25 tons of supplies to area school districts.
Flour Bluff ISD's Ted Colenga, left, and John McLaughlin load a trailer at a United Way of the Coastal Bend school supply pickup on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The local United Way donated 25 tons of supplies to area school districts.

This year, United Way and its partners raised enough funds to buy supplies wholesale for 25,000 students. Donations from individuals and supply drives launched by businesses and organizations will add to the count, said Stephanie Jordan, United Way vice president of resource development and communications.

"This is a record year," Jordan said.

Officials from Calallen, Robstown and Taft ISDs showed up early on Tuesday. Just before 9:30 a.m., Corpus Christi ISD and West Oso ISD representatives pulled up in box trucks.

Before pallets were loaded into the West Oso truck, Superintendent Conrado Garcia took a look inside a box of glue sticks.

"This is all for us?" said Garcia, surprised.

West Oso ISD Superintendent Conrado Garcia, left, peeks inside a box of school supplies at the United Way of the Coastal Bend school supply pickup on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The local United Way donated 25 tons of supplies to area school districts.
West Oso ISD Superintendent Conrado Garcia, left, peeks inside a box of school supplies at the United Way of the Coastal Bend school supply pickup on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The local United Way donated 25 tons of supplies to area school districts.

Not long after one school left, another would arrive. Corpus Christi and West Oso were replaced by Flour Bluff ISD and Freer ISD, with Woodsboro ISD not far behind and more to come. Operation Supply Our Students serves 43 school districts across 10 South Texas counties.

"We go from Falfurrias to Refugio to Kingsville to Beeville, Alice," Jordan said. "I think a lot of people think it's just Corpus, but it is not."

Jordan said that this year the effort received two large anonymous donations. Other longtime supporters include the Selena Foundation.

A box of glue sticks at the Coastal Bend school supply pickup on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Corpus Christi, Texas.
A box of glue sticks at the Coastal Bend school supply pickup on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The wholesale supplies are distributed based on need. The proportion each school district receives corresponds to the number of students in the district who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Jordan said the United Way effort alone cannot meet the full need in the community.

"We have kids in poverty," Garcia said. "It's difficult many times for families in challenging times. ... Our goal as a school district is to find alternative sources to help accomplish that goal so (students) don't feel left out, so that they have all the supplies that they need."

Garcia said that in addition to Operation Supply Our Students, other community initiatives help ensure student needs are met.

"All of these groups that help us are vital," Garcia said.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: United Way distributes school supplies to Coastal Bend districts