Posted on: Monday, July 19, 2004
30,000 get free school supplies
| • | Supplies cost a bit more this year |
By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Education Writer
Since many needy families cannot afford new supplies, Ready to Learn, a program of Helping Hands Hawai'i, expects to distribute supply packages to 30,000 children this year.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser The kits — which vary by grade — include such items as folder paper, composition books, pens, pencils and portfolios.
Ready to Learn has distributed other packages through social-service agencies, which determine which children are eligible for the free supplies.
Although most of the supplies have already been distributed, Ready to Learn is still accepting donations at its 2100 N. Nimitz Highway warehouse. Leftover supplies will be given to charter schools with large percentages of needy students.
University of Hawai'i Presidential Scholars volunteered Friday to pack up the last of the packages, which will be distributed this week to children whose parents have deployed to the Middle East and Afghanistan.
Bradley Sato, right, and other University of Hawai'i students organize supplies earmarked for needy students at Schofield Barracks.
