Communities help students with back-to-school needs
Staff writer
Community groups, churches, and businesses across Marion County are helping students return to classrooms with everything from pencils and headphones to backpacks, paid lunch accounts, and free haircuts.
A school supply drive at Jayson Hanschu’s American Family Insurance agency in Hillsboro grew out of an effort started during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The drive began seven years ago alongside Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce cruise nights, Hanschu said. Hillsboro Middle/High School then needed masks, hand sanitizer, and headsets for laptops.
Needs have changed. This year’s list includes computer mice, wired headphones, pencils, pens, paper, and facial tissue.
The drive normally was held during the town’s August cruise night, but Hanschu expanded it through the entire month this year, in part because participation has declined.
“Our best drive was the first one,” Hanschu said. “The second one was almost as good as the first one.”
He estimated recent drives collected one-third to one-half as many supplies as the first two.
“Any donation is appreciated,” he said.
Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church purchases school supplies for elementary students, Hillsboro superintendent Clint Corby said.
Supplies are waiting at their desks when they arrive.
Hanschu’s drive helps stock supplies for middle and high school students who run out or cannot afford them.
One surprisingly constant need is facial tissue.
“You would think they’re going to have 40 boxes of Kleenexes,” Corby said. “They won’t make it through the first quarter. I’m not kidding.”
Goessel superintendent Scott Boden had the same answer. His district bought cases of facial tissue last winter after the high school ran out.
Help elsewhere goes beyond pencils and paper.
Peabody Christian Church is sponsoring free haircuts for up to a $20 value for kindergarten through 12th-grade students through Saturday.
A back-to-school disco bingo Aug. 21 at Peabody American Legion will collect school supplies as its entry fee.
Suggested donations include pencils, tape, markers, paper, headphones, and notebooks.
Goessel’s Ministerial Alliance provides supplies and backpacks for families.
Community help also reached students’ lunch accounts last school year.
“We were able to zero out all of our lunch accounts as we ended the year,” Boden said.
Eastmoor United Methodist Church helps provide milk money for students who cannot afford it, Marion superintendent Jason Wasmuth said, while other community members donate money and supplies as needs arise.
“If someone does not have it, we do have the supplies if needed,” Wasmuth said.
Hanschu’s donated supplies will be turned over to Hillsboro Middle/High School near the end of August.