Back-to-school drive seeks items for North Thurston students. Here’s how to help

The North Thurston Education Foundation is seeking donations in advance of the coming academic year, but the list of requested items looks different from standard school supplies.

The “Forgotten Back-to-School Needs Drive” asks for the overlooked, but nevertheless essential items that students need to succeed, the foundation announced.

The drive, which runs until Aug. 29, needs items like athletic shoes, hygiene products, socks and underwear. Children and families enrolled at North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS) are eligible to receive the collected items before school begins in September.

More than 950 NTPS students experienced homelessness last year, with more than 6,000 households struggling to make ends meet. The district is home to roughly 15,000 students.

For foundation director Deanna East, this drive supports these students’ academic success by providing the most basic items, filling a need that may otherwise go unseen.

“The items we often take for granted — clean socks, properly fitting shoes, deodorant, or shampoo — can make an enormous difference in a student’s confidence,” East said in a news release. “When students feel comfortable and confident, they’re better able to focus on learning and building relationships.”

The drive received over 2,100 items in 2025, according to East, with the foundation aiming for 3,000 donations this year.

How to donate:

The Forgotten Back-to-School Needs Drive accepts only new donations, rather than used items, so students may receive something that is truly their own.

“Imagine starting the school year with brand-new socks, a fresh package of underwear, or a new toothbrush that’s yours alone,” East said. “For students experiencing homelessness or whose families are struggling financially, these simple items can provide more than comfort. They offer dignity, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Receiving new items helps students feel like everyone else as they walk through the school doors.”

The most needed items include:

• Full-size shampoo and conditioner.
• Body lotion.
• Men’s and women’s deodorant.
• Sanitary pads (thin and thick).
• Laundry pods.
• Tissues and toilet paper.
• Liquid dish soap.
• Children’s tennis shoes (boys’ and girls’ sizes 12 to 13).
• Youth and adult athletic shoes (boys’ and girls’ sizes 1 to 11).
• Boys’ and girls’ socks and underwear (all sizes through adult large).

Lacey community members can deposit donations in boxes at the following locations during their regular business hours:

• Vert Chiropractic at 4444 Lacey Blvd. SE #E
• Café Elite at 130 Marvin Rd. SE Suite 130
• Top Rung Brewing Company at 8343 Hogum Bay Ln. NE
• 4th Dimension Computers at 3315 Pacific Ave. SE
• 1st Security Bank at 601 Woodland Square Loop SE
• Capital Place Retirement Community at 700 Black Lake Blvd. SW
• Great Floors at 7800 Martin Way E
• Peak Credit Union at 4550 Avery Ln. SE
• Farrelli’s Pizza at 4870 Yelm Hwy. SE

This list may change as more businesses join the drive. The updated list is available here.

Co-owner of Vert Chiropractic Virginia Marum encouraged other Lacey-area businesses to become involved in local donation drives. Patrons appreciate knowing their donations will support a community-specific cause, Marum said.

“In the case of our clinic, community is very important for us,” Marum said. “We already hold a storefront here in a space, and have an ability to have that community impact from the amount of patients that we have come in daily.”

How to receive items this fall:

Donations will fill the Kid’s Closet in the NTPS Family & Youth Resource Center. Families must make appointments to visit the closet, East said, and will receive privacy when shopping — only one family may use the closet at a time.

Families can schedule an appointment by calling 360-412-4902 or emailing fyrcinfo@ntps.org, with the earliest appointments available Aug. 25.

Anna Hull

The Olympian

Anna Hull is The Olympian’s summer 2026 news reporting intern. Anna is entering her fourth year at the University of Washington in Seattle, where she is majoring in journalism. Anna also recently concluded her term as the News Editor for The Daily, the UW’s student newspaper.