The Southern

Title: "You can help kids with school supplies"

You can help kids with school supplies

CARBONDALE —With the first day of school just weeks away, one local non-profit organization is working to see that some needy kids have what they need for class – and it is getting some help in the effort.

For the second consecutive year, the Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale will be the recipients of donations from office supply store Staples. The national chain is teaming up with DoSomething.org, an organization who promotes youth community activism, for its National School Supply Drive.

Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale Executive Director Randy Osborn said the supplies are much needed.

“We have around 500 regular members,” he said. “It (the donation) is very timely. A lot of the kids that come to the club, their families need the extra support that contributions of school supplies can provide.”

Osborn said he’s not sure how many children benefited from the school supply distribution last year but that when the club opens up its afterschool programs in September, he expects demand to be great.

“I just know that on opening day we’ll have 80 kids here,” he said. “We try to distribute out to those kids that need it the most and our staff have a pretty good idea who those kids are.”

Osborn added, “These are the items needed for them to get off to a good start for the school year. This thing is nationally coordinated program and we really appreciate having the opportunity to help kids in this way.”

Prospective donors can drop off their school supplies at any Staples store in the nation. The Carbondale Staples store is located at 1325 E Main St. All supplies donated there will go toward the Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale, said Staples Spokesman Toby Srebnik.

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