With unemployment rates skyrocketing, more families are facing economic hardship. That means some can’t afford to give their children basic school supplies. One group in Montezuma County is trying to help. KSUT's Mark Duggan reports:
More families are facing economic hardship as unemployment rates skyrocket due to the pandemic, so some children are returning to school without supplies like pens and notebook paper.
One Montezuma County organization is working to change that with its annual School Supply Giveaway. TheMontelores Early Childhood Council is distributing up to 500 backpacks filled with school supplies for pre-kindergarten through 12th-graders in the county.
This year, the drive comes as the jobless rate in the county is triple what it was last year.
“We have a lot of families that just need a little bit of help,” explained drive organizer Katrina Lindus, who also serves as MECC's Health Integration Coordinator. “Especially this year, knowing that we have even more families that are out of work or underemployed.”
Lindus added that they've already processed more than 250 applications, with room to accommodate 500.
Lindus and MECC believe that providing school supplies prepares children for educational success. It also helps build self-esteem. And it helps teachers, many of whom buy supplies for their classes.
“We know that many do go out and buy extra supplies on a very limited salary,” said Lindus. “Especially with preschool teachers. They have an extremely limited salary and yet they still spend a lot of money on their students because they love them.”
The School Supply Giveaway is August 15th at 8 AM in the Cortez Recreation Center parking lot.
KSUT COVID-19 news reporting is made possible by support from individual donors and the Colorado Media Project.
