Fulfilling its mission to assist area residents with essential needs and to become self-sustaining, The Place of Forsyth County is collecting empty backpacks and raising funds to purchase school supplies kits for Forsyth County students.

“Each year we work with our schools to provide backpacks and school supplies to families who struggle financially,” explains Joni Smith, president and CEO, “This year our goal is to collect 1,400 backpacks and raise funds to purchase supplies kits to equip our students for the school year.”

In years past, The Place has collected backpacks and school supplies, but due to COVID-19 their distribution model changed. “We felt we needed to collect backpacks and purchase kits of supplies to lessen the number of volunteers needed and to follow social distancing guidelines. This year, in our time of planning the state of COVID was still unclear and so we opted to raise funds again for supplies.”

The Place has set a goal of $15,000 to purchase the kits but are still short about $11,000. “Thanks to a generous donation from The Crane Fund for Widows and Children, who sponsored $4,000 of school supplies, we are on our way to meeting our goal. This is a generous community and so we are confident that this community will provide what is needed. They always do.”

If you would like to sponsor school supplies or provide a new backpack, please visit www.theplaceofforsyth.org for more information.

The Place of Forsyth — where every Person, Dollar, and Hour has a PURPOSE — has been faithfully serving the Forsyth County area for over 46 years.