by David Chapman
Staff Writer
With summer winding down and a new school year right around the corner, children all over Northeast Florida are looking toward that first day back in the classroom. For the daniel foundation, members are looking for donations to help the foundation’s children feel that same anticipation by being prepared, and area Realtors and builders can help.
“People’s contributions are really helping a child at daniel,” said Stephanie Cain, volunteer coordinator for the organization. “For a lot of these children, they rely on us for the basics needed to go back to school.”
daniel is hosting a school supply drive for needed school materials such as folders, pens, paper and backpacks to help prepare children to succeed. Organizers of the August Sales and Marketing Council breakfast on Aug. 10 participated in the drive and others are encouraged to continue to donate.
“We are pumped up about this school year and need to come together to make this the biggest school supply drive ever,” said Amanda Randolph, director of the Sales and Marketing Council.
Cain said last year’s drive helped over 900 children and the goal this year is to top over 1,000.
“The Realtors and everyone in the industry have really stepped up,” said Cain. “They’ve been wonderful.”
The drive, which started last month and will continue through the start of school, helps children from the elementary level all the way to high school. Having supplies is just the start of putting daniel children in a positive environment, Cain said.
“It helps them academically,” said Cain. “If they can go in knowing they have supplies, it takes away an unneeded stress and gets them started right.”
daniel is a local organization that helps physically, emotionally and sexually abused children from the area. It originated in 1884 and is considered Florida’s oldest child-serving agency.
“We really appreciate everything,” said Jimmy Keller, director of Annual Giving for daniel. “We serve over 1,700 children, and people don’t realize just how valuable school supplies really are to them.”
For more information about the school drive or the daniel foundation, visit www.danielkids.org.
What you can donate
Don’t know what to donate? The following is a list of school supplies needed to help children at the daniel foundation. Realtors and builders are encouraged to bring supplies to the August 17 Sales and Marketing Council breakfast, though donations can still be made after.
• Folders
• Pens
• Rulers
• Markers
• Backpacks
• Labels
• File Folders
• Composition notebooks
• Notebook dividers
• Zippered pencil Bags
• Pencils
• Ruled notebook paper
• Crayons
• White Glue
• Tape
• Notebooks