SEATTLE — New data from King County is highlighting the cost the pandemic has had on everyday life: around 25% of people living in the county had trouble meeting financial obligations or paying for essential needs.
The group Communities In Schools Seattle is hoping to ease the financial burden of going back to class through their annual Stuff the Bus school supply drive.
For the last several weeks, partner businesses and organizations have been collecting supplies, and on Friday, those donations will be dropped off and sorted through at South Shore K - 8 elementary school.
"We are absolutely still taking last-minute donations and people are excited this year to be able to donate in more ways," said Emily Slagle, development director at Communities In Schools Seattle.
Last year's drive was completely virtual and monetary-based.
This year, donations will be accepted in person on Friday through an Amazon wish list and through monetary donations.
Slagle says families could spend $60 more on school supplies this year than last year. The rising costs only add to the financial burden brought on by the pandemic.
Organizers said while all donations are appreciated, this year they want to focus on new items like hand sanitizer, AA batteries, calculators, wireless mouse and mouse pads.
"With a pandemic, and everything else that was going on last year, now they're going to have to move back to school programming, which is gonna be a little bit, you know, hard on them. You know, it's a difficult change. And so we wanted them to have new stuff because all kids want new stuff and higher quality stuff," added Slagle.
While the organization doesn't have data correlating school supplies with student outcomes within the communities they serve, Slagle said their on-the-ground workers see how thankful families and students are.
"Studies show that kids that show up on an empty stomach don't do well in school, either. Right? So when you show up with everything that you need, you're ready to go. You're ready to learn."