Because of the generosity of the Oxford County community, hundreds of students will return to school this week with the supplies and tools needed for a successful academic year.
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Through the Supplies4Students program led by the United Way Oxford, 1,175 area students from 652 local families will receive gift cards they can use to purchase school supplies like pencils, binders and notebooks.
“Thanks to the generosity and kindness of so many, Oxford’s Supplies4Students was able to make a tangible difference for registered families based on their individual needs,” said Kelly Gilson, the executive director of the local United Way, in a release.
“The program allows for meaningful impact while respecting that families know best what is required.”
Launched in 2016, the program is a community collaboration that provides support for impoverished families in a “creative, innovative and dignified manner.” Through donations from local citizens, service clubs, companies, churches, employee groups and other supporters, $50 gift cards are provided to each student to help the registered families with back-to-school costs.
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The program is bolstered by the support of Staples in Woodstock and Tillsonburg, and Giant Tiger in Ingersoll and Woodstock.
“In addition to the gift card component, we have so many thoughtful donors who also collect and drop off backpacks and supplies, which helps us to extend support and reach even further. By working with agencies serving families, those supplies helped another 200-plus students across Oxford start the school year off with the tools they need,” Gilson said.
The local Supplies4Students partners also expressed gratitude to the Conseil scolaire catholique Providence, and the Thame Valley District and London District Catholic school boards for their ongoing support of the program. The school boards work to ensure the Supplies4Students gift cards are sent home with the participating students during the first week of school.
“Oxford’s Supplies4Students program provides more than school supplies, it provides a sense of belonging and the wrap-around support of a community that cares. It is a perfect example of what we can accomplish when we come together,” Gilson said.
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