School supplies drive gives helping hand to kids in need

(ROCKWALL, TX — June 21, 2018) This summer, Rockwall County Helping Hands invites community businesses and organizations to “Take Up the Challenge” and sponsor a local child in need of school supplies.

Every summer, Helping Hands holds a friendly competition between local businesses and organizations to provide families in need with school supplies for their kids when they return to school in the fall. Each participating group is encouraged to invite community members to sponsor a child by purchasing a $20 backpack filled with a variety of different school supplies. The group with the highest number of sponsored children when the competition ends on July 31 will receive special recognition on social media, a spot in the Helping Hands E-newsletter, and an ad in the Festival of Trees printed program.

Sponsorships may be purchased online at rockwallhelpinghands.com/school, or checks can be dropped off at the Helping Hands Food Pantry (401 W. Rusk St., Ste. 200) during its regular business hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Rockwall County Helping Hands is holding registration for school supplies on June 21 and June 28 at the Food Pantry (401 W. Rusk St., Ste. 200) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Letters have gone out to more than 6,000 students in Rockwall ISD and Royse City ISD who qualified for the Free and Reduced Meal Program, inviting them to register for school supply assistance. So far, a total of 400 students have registered to receive school supplies — 298 from Rockwall ISD and 102 from Royse City ISD.

Helping Hands is holding registration for school supplies today, June 21, and Thursday, June 28, at the Food Pantry. Registered students will receive their school supplies during distribution on Thursday, August 9 at the Food Pantry during its regular business hours.

By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News.

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