Wake Residents Can Help Needy Children With School Supplies Through August 17

8/4/2006

Wake County children in need are hoping local residents will support the annual School Buddies program, while taking advantage of the sales tax break on school supplies this weekend.

Wake County Human Services’ School Buddies program is an annual event that matches adult sponsors with local children in need of school supplies in order to prepare them for academic success. The 2006 School Buddies runs through August 17.

School Buddies welcomes several new program partners this year who have committed to helping find sponsors for each of the 1,200 children, who have applied for supplies through School Buddies. Triangle United Way, Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County, Hope Community Church, Cary Towne Center and Triangle Town Center have all collaborated to meet the children's needs.

Individuals, families, businesses, and civic organizations who would like to assist children in need can choose from the following:

• Call United Way’s 2-1-1 service to register as a School Buddy from now through August 11;
• Visit the Project School Buddies displays, located near the Customer Service desks at Cary Towne Center and Triangle Town Center. Choose a bookbag tag from the display, purchase the items on the child’s need list, and return your gift to the Customer Service desk during regular mall hours.
• Deliver a gift of school supplies to the offices of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week of August 14. Donations of undesignated school supplies will be used to support the Boys & Girls Clubs’ after-school programs.

Call the Wake County Community Resources office at 212-7083 or 212-7084 to be a School Buddies' sponsor that gets matched with a student in need.

back to current news items