St. Albert steps up with tools for school

Correction
This story originally said United Way had seen a 40 per cent jump in the number of backpacks requested through Tools for School, and that GSACRD was getting 70, based on information from Shanlyn Cunningham. On Aug. 23, United Way spokesperson Catherine Lee-Hannley said that the 40 per cent jump applied only to Edmonton’s Catholic and public school boards — the overall increase for the Alberta Capital Region was 19 per cent. GSACRD was also set to get 173 backpacks this fall. The story has been updated with this information and additional comments from Lee-Hannley.

Some 250 kids got the tools they needed for back to school this weekend thanks to the generosity of St. Albert residents.

The St. Albert Food Bank distributed about 250 backpacks of school supplies to pre-registered families in need this Aug. 19 as part of its annual Tools for School program.

The food bank normally gets these supplies through the United Way’s Tools for School campaign, said food bank executive director Suzan Krecsy. In early August, the food bank learned the campaign would not be able to help them this year due to high demand.

Krecsy said food bank staff launched an emergency fundraiser in response that in just 10 days rallied all the supplies they needed for this weekend’s distribution.

“As per usual, the community stepped forward to help the kids,” she said.

Krecsy said the food bank would fund its Tools for School drive out of its regular budget in future years.

In an Aug. 23 email, United Way Alberta Capital Region spokesperson Catherine Lee-Hannley said demand for backpacks through Tools for School was up 19 per cent in the capital region, with the demand in Edmonton schools up 40 per cent. United Way told the St. Albert Food Bank earlier this month that it wasn’t sure if it would be able to provide all the bags the food bank had requested, as it was still collecting school supplies and had to fill its requests from schools first. The food bank would definitely get some number of backpacks through Tools for School.

Great need, great costs

Greater St. Albert Catholic spokesperson Shanlyn Cunningham said rising costs had put the squeeze on families looking to get textbooks, bags, and school supplies for kids. The number of backpacks GSACRD had requested through Tools for School had jumped to 70 this year from 33.

Cunningham estimated that she spent about $500 per kid on school supplies this year ($200 each if you exclude the Chromebooks). Some items, such as glue sticks, weren’t even in stock in stores.

It’s very expensive to prepare a child for back to school, especially with this year’s rampant inflation, Krecsy said. Add in bus and school fees, and it can cost up to $1,000 per child.

“It can be a real financial hardship for families for sure.”

The backpacks provided by the food bank and Tools for School contain pencils, pens, binders, and other basics, Krecsy said. The food bank also stocks extras for families who can’t make this weekend’s event.

The United Way of the Alberta Capital Region estimates that up to eight in 10 students in some Edmonton-area schools will need help this fall to get basic school supplies. The group distributed some 16,289 backpacks through Tools for School last year, and expected to do even more this fall.

Edmonton-area Staples outlets hope to raise some $150,000 for Tools for School this year by Sept. 10, and were at about $60,000 as of Aug. 16, said Staples Western Canada regional vice-president Carlo Pellegrino. He encouraged customers to donate cash or school supplies to the drive at their local Staples store.

In response to this year’s financial pressures, GSACRD held a contest on Facebook earlier this month to award one student a complete set of back to school supplies (minus Chromebooks), Cunningham said. Some 500 people entered, with Jocelyn Kotyk taking home the big prize.

Cunningham said the contest was so popular that the district will pick a second winner later this month. Kotyk also planned to donate most of her prize back to the district.

Krecsy said the food back accepts school supply donations in its donation boxes. Backpacks, lined paper, crayons, and other basics are always in demand, as are graphing calculators.

Back to school supplies set kids up for success, Cunningham said. She encouraged parents whose kids needed back to school supplies to contact their school principals so they could arrange help.