Due to the tremendous response from local businesses, churches and community members, this year’s Build a Backpack school supply drive was a huge success. The drive, which was coordinated by the United Way of Chatham County, collected backpacks, notebooks, binders, paper, pencils, crayons and other supplies.
“The response from the community has been truly overwhelming,” commented Dina Reynolds, Executive Director of the United Way of Chatham County. “We received almost 300 backpacks this year and 100 of them were laptop backpacks. This is especially important because Chatham County is one of the few North Carolina counties that issues laptop computers to all high school students.”
The supplies will be distributed by the Chatham County Schools’ Basic Needs Program. Those in need of school supplies should contact their child’s school guidance counselor. The counselor will contact the Basic Needs Coordinator for Chatham County Schools to make arrangements for your child to receive the supplies that are required by their teacher.
“We are very appreciative of the community’s consideration of our students,” said Tracy Fowler, Executive Director of Student Services and Support Programs for Chatham County Schools. “Because of their concern and participation, our children in need will go to school better equipped to succeed.”
Area businesses and churches that collected school supplies for the Build a Backpack school supply drive include: Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church, Chapel Ridge, Eastern Chatham Senior Center, Governors Club, Pittsboro Presbyterian Church, Realty World Carolina Properties, Virginia Cross Elementary School and the Western Chatham Senior Center.
