Outreach to hold annual school supply distribution August 5

Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry’s 2017 school supply distribution event will be held Saturday, August 5 in the Polk County Middle School cafeteria from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All qualified Polk County students, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, are invited to attend to receive new backpacks filled with grade appropriate school supplies.

Outreach is currently collecting new school supplies and backpacks. If you would like to make a donation, secure financial contributions can made through tboutreach.org, or new school supplies can be dropped off at Outreach before July 28.

New school supplies needed include: backpacks, spiral and composition notebooks, #2 pencils, mechanical pencils, blue, black and red pens, large and small erasers, pencil boxes, pencil pouches, colored pencils, markers, crayons, highlighters, rulers, pencil sharpeners, index cards, glue sticks, safety scissors, 1”-, 2”- and 3”-ring binders, wide and college ruled notebook paper, 5-tab dividers, and protractors.

In addition to the school supply distribution, there will also be numerous community resources on hand for a Health & Information Fair. Last year over 30 services and agencies participated.

As a reminder, please note the change in venue this year from Polk County High School to Polk County Middle School. For more information, call 828-894-2988.

– article submitted by Margot Carter

Eligibility requirements include:

•children must be residents of and attend school in Polk County

•children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to receive school supplies

•parent or guardian must present valid photo identification

•families who receive government assistance from the following programs are eligible:

•free or reduced school lunch

•SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid, WIC, foster care

•any program offered by WCCA or Steps to Hope