Washington County is calling for donations of gently used school supplies. The drive, which will help kids stock up for the school year without breaking the bank, is accepting contributions until August 2. Local residents can drop the items off at various collection points including the Environmental Center, Washington County Libraries, and Public Health and Environment Offices.
Prospective donors can visit the Environmental Center at 4039 Cottage Grove Drive, with open hours on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and continuing through the rest of the week until Saturday; however, the Public Health and Environment offices and the six participating county library branches follow a more standard schedule, opening their doors Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., although the libraries hours do vary, the specific times for each one can be found by visiting their individual pages online.
The list of acceptable donations is comprehensive and tailored to the needs of students returning to school; it includes pencils, pens, markers, crayons, notebooks, lined or graphing paper, working calculators, and backpacks with functioning zippers and free from damage. Other supplies like scissors, rulers, erasers, glue sticks, and watercolor paints are also welcome. Organizers ask for specific items such as 1-inch 3-ring binders and pocket folders to make sure they meet the students' needs.
Those interested in contributing to the swap can get more details by reaching out to the Public Health and Environment at 651-430-6655—in addition to providing essential information, the representatives can also answer any questions about the accepted items and the process of donating, and they're aiming to make the school supply swap on August 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Environmental Center, a grand success, where families in need will benefit from the collective effort of the community's generosity, underscoring the message to reduce and reuse. For more information about the event and all drop-off locations, Washington County has created a dedicated page on their official website.
