Community Sends Kids Back to School with a Little More Supplies, a Lot More Dignity

July 20, 2023

Port St. Lucie – Close your eyes, and imagine that first day of Kindergarten. You probably have new shoes on your feet, a new outfit; maybe newly trimmed bangs. You have a bag lunch in your hands or change in your pocket.

And you can smell the graphite and wood shavings from your brand new, never-before-used, No. 2 pencil.

It's a visceral memory tied and twisted deeply into childhood - something Communities Connected for Kids wants for its children in care this school year.

And businesses, church and social groups throughout Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast are making sure they get it.

"It's seems like a small thing, but if it was really so small it wouldn't be such a universal memory," said Christina Kaiser, community relations director for CCKids, which oversees the child-welfare community in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties. "And being the only kid without new supplies can really do a number on child's dignity and sense of self worth."

CCKids is one of many organizations coordinating school-supplies drives this summer and working with other agencies to make sure no child is left holding an empty bag.

The United Way of St. Lucie County, for example, continues to support those efforts in the broader community by making new supplies available to teachers and classrooms and also by carving out some of what it collects for children in foster care.

But it doesn't stop there. From Okeechobee, to Sebastian and Fellsmere, down to Stuart, there are many back-to-school expos happening this year where families can get the supplies they need:

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Resources are available in the community, beginning with an expo at the Finn Center THIS SATURDAY. Christian FM will also host an expo at Port St. Lucie's Mid Florida Event Center August 5.

OKEECHOBEE COUNTY – Our Village will host a Back to School Resource Fair on July 29. All families with proof of Okeechobee residency who attend this fair will receive backpacks and supplies.

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY has several resource events this year, including a DRIVE THROUGH event on August 3 in Fellsmere. For 25 years, Gifford Youth Achievement Center has hosted a supplies give-away the first week of August. We haven’t received any information yet, but there is no reason to think this resource won’t be available again this year.

MARTIN COUNTY will host a Back to School Expo for all Martin County School District students the morning of July 29 while supplies last. A pancake breakfast also is planned.