United Way asking for help restocking Head Start classrooms
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Aug. 5, 2022) – A HARCATUS school bus will be parked outside the New Philadelphia Walmart today and tomorrow for the local United Way’s yearly school supply drive.
Community Relations Coordinator Susan Reidenbach says they’re trying to pack it full of items preschoolers enrolled in the Head Start program will need in the new school year.
“We have volunteers at the entrances at Walmart handing out fliers that give you the items we recommend for donation, and then we actually have a bus sitting out in the parking lot. And it’s fun to see how the kids react to the bus and they want to get on.”
Head Start Family and Community Engagement Manager Becky Glasure says their wishlist looks a bit different than what you might see for older kids and includes bandaids, bubbles, and pull-ups, along with more traditional school supplies.
“Unscented wipes so that we can make sure that we can use them without any allergies or anything. Crayons. Kleenex. Washable markers. Elmer’s glue. Construction paper. We could go on and on.”
Supplies will be collected for eight hours on both days, from 10 am to 6 pm. Reidenbach says they’re also taking monetary donations during the event and online at tuscunitedway.org to buy any items that are still needed after the collection.
Items can also be dropped off at McInturf Realty and the Parkway car dealership locations in Dover, or you can place an order through Walmart’s website and have it shipped to the United Way’s headquarters at 14-58 Fifth Street NW in New Philadelphia.