Think school supplies are pricey? Imagine buying enough for 3,500 Thurston County students
The back-to-school scramble is getting underway in Thurston County, as parents hunt for deals on everything from markers to lunchboxes.
But one group of volunteers has an especially large shopping spree to conduct this time of year. Connie Fischer, a volunteer with Thurston County’s Little Red Schoolhouse (LRS) for at least five years, is projecting the organization will spend at least $45,000 on school supplies for families in need, and another $15,000 on backpacks.
The non-profit organization relies on donations to fund its efforts. It accepts cash, checks and supplies at the O Bee Credit Union, Family Education & Support Services and Heritage Bank during the first two weeks of August. On Friday, it will work with KXXO Mixx 96.1 for its annual 12-hour fundraising marathon at the radio station in downtown Olympia.
“We are always happy to have people donate,” said Fischer, who represents Saint Michael Parish in the organization. “We are always just amazed by the amount of things we get.”
LRS has seen a lot of changes over the years, from the donations it accepts to the way it delivers supplies. But even as the organization has navigated its way through new challenges, its core mission has stayed the same.
“We want kids to feel like they’re important,” said Judy Kimeldorf, LRS co-chair and a member since 2007. “We want to send kids back to school with the things they need to be successful.”
Changing with the times
LRS began in 1991 as an organization that depended on donations of used clothing and supplies for children. People in the community, including those from local businesses and churches, had noticed kids in school who didn’t have adequate clothing and supplies to find success in school.
Members gathered at St. John’s Episcopal Church and started the Little Red Schoolhouse, and it has been distributing supplies at a host of different locations throughout the years. As thrift shops emerged in the community, members turned their focus from clothing to school supplies.
In her first year as a member, Kimeldorf said the organization served about 1,600 students, but it has added almost 2,000 since then. Last year, she said school districts helped distribute supplies to about 3,500 students.
“The need doesn’t seem to be getting less,” she said. “Those 3,500 children belong to families and that stretches the effect.”
Over the years, Kimeldorf has watched as certain supplies have also risen and fallen in popularity. The 3-ring binder is nearly extinct from supply lists now — but demands for composition books, scientific calculators and graph paper have boomed.
“We went to school with a notebook and a number 2 pencil and some paper,” Kimeldorf said. “Today, the list of needs is huge.”
Fischer said LRS emphasizes quality of product — investing in classic brands like Crayola and Ticonderoga. Supplies that fall apart easily are not conducive to fun or good learning, she said.
But even with years of distribution experience, neither Kimeldorf nor Fischer was prepared for the drastic changes that would come from COVID-19. The massive distribution day LRS put on each year was swapped for direct partnerships with local school districts, who now hand out supplies based on criteria, including those eligible for free and reduced-price lunches and school counselor lists.
LRS has aimed to hit a 3% increase in donations each year for the past two years, and plans to continue this year, said Debbie Haddock, another long-time LRS volunteer.
Kimeldorf said she sometimes feels disappointed that she no longer gets to see kids on distribution day, when they were always so happy to leave the center with their new supplies.
At the same time, she and Fischer agree that this new system may be more accessible for families, as parents don’t have to worry about transportation to distribution days or other concerns.
“It isn’t what we started with, but in the end it may serve more people,” Kimeldorf said. “When we had distribution day, we had no sense of (if we were meeting community needs). When the schools get to pick, they can make sure the most needy get it.”
Preserving a passion
It takes a team of dedicated volunteers, partner businesses and supportive donors to keep the schoolhouse running year after year, Fischer said.
“People have recently been incredibly generous,” Kimeldorf said. “COVID shone a light on children for how hard it was during those years. All of us were stuck at home during those years and for them it was really, really tough. People recognized that and wanted to do something about it.”
At the LRS meeting on Tuesday, members gathered to iron out the final logistics around the MIXX 96.1 radio day collection. Everything from water provision to school supply transportation was ironed out ahead of radio day and distribution week, which will take place between Aug. 14-17.
Several of the volunteers offered themselves up for shifts that spanned many hours and multiple days. People on the board were excited about the prospect of working delivery day shifts, and seeing kids receive the school supplies they need.
Fischer proudly displayed a flier designed by another member, meant to go into the backpacks, she said, so kids and their families can know where their supplies came from.
“It’s an opportunity to meet with different people from different areas of the community, and to be involved in something that makes a difference,” Fischer said. “Judy was a teacher and I was a social worker. I suppose it’s a matter of, it’s been our passion.”
LRS serves school districts around Thurston County. Parents are encouraged to call their children’s schools to ask about when school supplies will become available.
This story was originally published August 10, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
