Students need pencils, crayons and notebooks to learn. But not every family can buy all the school supplies their child needs.
That is why Valor Cares is giving supplies to schools in southeastern Wisconsin. The group has collected more than 3,500 items and hopes to help a couple thousand students.
Helping students feel ready
Valor Cares is the nonprofit part of Valor Tech. The group is holding its first back-to-school supply drive this year. The supplies include pens, pencils, crayons and markers. These are items students use often and may need again during the school year.
Amanda Sevener, co-director of Valor Cares, said the group wants supplies to be in classrooms before students arrive. “We really took that opportunity to give back to the teachers and the classrooms and the schools,” Sevener said.
Sevener and Chloe Spenner, the other co-director of Valor Cares, used to work in schools. Sevener worked in special education for about 15 years.
They know the start of school can be hard for families and teachers. Families may not have enough money for a full backpack of supplies. Teachers may then use their own money to fill the need.
Giving supplies to classrooms
Sevener said teachers can spend close to $1,000 each year on things for their classrooms. That money may go toward supplies students do not have. When a student comes to school without a pencil, notebook or crayons, they may not feel ready. It can make it harder for them to learn and join class activities.
Jill Schwenzen, assistant principal at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, said having basic supplies can help students feel prepared. “If they have everything they need, then they can be successful on their day-to-day at school,” Schwenzen said.
Valor Cares is giving the supplies right to schools and classrooms. This means families do not have to travel to another place to pick them up. The group said this can remove one more worry for parents and caregivers. It also helps teachers have supplies ready for students on the first day of school.
Supporting teachers and families
Zach Perkins, dean of students at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, said the donation can help students whose needs may not be easy to see. “You don’t know everyone’s family situation,” Perkins said. “To be able to potentially fit some pretty big needs of kids is a big deal.”
Valor Cares is working with schools and districts in southeastern Wisconsin. Sevener said the group listens to school workers before deciding what to donate.
The goal is to give schools items they truly need. For this drive, that means common supplies that students use every day. The group is also sharing teachers’ wish lists with people in the community. A person can buy one item from a list, and it will be sent to a teacher’s classroom.
Sevener said wish lists often include items that are different from regular school supplies. The lists may help teachers get extra tools for learning and class projects. Even one small gift can help a teacher and many students. “Those small school supplies can change the way a student walks into the classroom on that first day of school,” Sevener said.
Building support all year
Sevener remembered helping a family that was going through a hard time. The family had health worries and other unknowns. She was able to give the student school supplies she had saved in her classroom.
That moment helped give Sevener and Spenner an idea. They wanted to find a way to help more students in less time. Now, Valor Cares is working to support families during the whole year. The group has held a holiday toy drive, helped little libraries and plans more events.
Spenner said the group does not want to help only once and then leave. “One of our goals is to offer support throughout the year,” she said. “It’s to constantly listen to what the need is.”
Schwenzen added support from the community means more than just getting supplies. It shows students and families that people care about them. “It’s nice to have kindness and people paying it forward,” Schwenzen said.
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