CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The start of the school year is just weeks away and that means back-to-school shopping is already happening for many families.
But for some families, the price of supplies is causing a strain on their wallets. One organization is looking to step in and help.
“Composition notebooks, larger three-ring binders,” said Bjorn Koxvold with ForKids. Those items and more are getting packed in backpacks at the nonprofit's warehouse in Chesapeake for students. It’s part of the annual school supply drive the non-profit holds ahead of the new school year.
Koxvold leads the drive which aims to provide relief to families in need. Last year, ForKids sent 1,966 children to school with a bag full of essentials. He said the need is even greater this time around.
“Inflation is a very real thing that we need to address," he said. "The tax holiday is no longer an aspect that parents can take care of as well. So, parents have been hit twice.”
Koxvold says the organization is struggling to come up with donations this year. Some of the bags already packed are missing erasers, markers, and headphones.
“We’ve seen a decrease in giving across the board," he said. "And as you can see, some of the shelves behind us are empty. We are not anywhere near the pacing that we were at last year.”
Organization leaders say if more donations don’t roll in soon, volunteers will hand out what they can and direct families to other groups handing out school supplies. Koxvold said he’s hopeful community members will pull through in the final days of giving.
“Why would we expect students to go to school without the tools that they need to be successful?" Koxvold asked. "It will show. It will show in test scores. It will show in their ability to succeed in the school year.”
He said right now ForKids is low on everything. They’re in need of the basics like pencils, notepads, and paper. You can drop off those items at the ForKids sites in Chesapeake and Suffolk.
The supply drive ends this Friday. If you can't drop off donations in person, you can also order items on their Amazon back-to-school wishlist.