First Call for Help
Each summer First Call for Help of Ellis County distributes free new backpacks with grade-appropriate school supplies to around 600 children in need in Ellis County.
A school supply drive will be conducted for Backpacks for Kids from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, July 15, in front of Walmart. Lists of needed supplies will be provided. The list is also at the end of this article. The supply drive is being sponsored by Nex-Tech and Nex-Tech Wireless.
Backpacks for Kids serves children preschool through 12th grade who live in and attend school in Ellis County.
This includes children who attend public schools, private schools and those who are homeschooled, said Laura Shoaff, who organizes and runs Backpacks for Kids each year.
Families may register their children for the free program until July 28. Registration is available by contacting the First Call office at (785) 623-2800, filling out the registration form online at firstcallelliscounty.com, returning the registration form every child was sent home with before school let out, or stopping by the office at 607 E. 13th St., Hays.
Distribution day for registered children is 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6. If any supplies are left over, they will be distributed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7. Both events will take place at the Hays Recreation Commission Leisure Center, west side of the building, 1105 Canterbury.
The school supplies needed are
• 3x3-inch Post-It Sticky Notes (any color)
• new backpacks
• medium and large sizes
• highlighters
• dry erase markers
• plastic school boxes/pencil bags
• notebook paper (wide ruled and college-ruled)
• 4 oz. Elmer’s School Glue
• large pink erasers
• 10-pack Crayola Washable Markers (classic colors)
• pointed scissors
• 12-pack colored pencils
• 24-pack Crayola Crayons
• two pocket folders
• No. 2 yellow pencils; pens (blue, black, and red)
• earbuds/small headphones
• boxes of facial tissue
• graph paper
• one-subject spiral notebooks (wide and college ruled. Covers can be any color)
• 1-inch three-ring binders (hard sided, not flimsy), any color
• glue sticks (no gel)
• tab index divider pages
• composition notebooks
• combination locks.
Hygiene products needed are male and female regular size shampoo, bar soap and deodorant.