Remember the smell of a new notebook or how excited you were to get a new box of paints when you were a child? That same excitement will be felt across the Tri-Cities as some of the community's neediest kids get help with school supplies.
This week, Staples in Coquitlam delivered bags of school supplies to 19 elementary schools in School District 43 to fill the desks and backpacks of 450 children.
"The need is just huge," said Janna Nimmo, general manager, whose store and staff raised the funds, bought the supplies at a discount, packed the bags and delivered them to appreciative school principals.
Nimmo said she and her staff feel great about the annual supply drive because it fulfills a need.
"I know everybody struggles, everybody goes paycheque to paycheque," she said. "This is for people who are way beyond that. They have to decide 'Am I going to eat today or am I going to pick up lined paper for my son?' It's really tough for these folks."
In some cases, she said she has heard refugee children are benefitting from the gift. In other cases, the supplies support classrooms where teachers are already buying items for their students with their own money.
Some schools will hand out the supplies directly while others put them out on tables and let families choose what they need.
Nimmo said she wants to thank the generous donors who helped raise money or bought supplies for the supply drive, which continues tomorrow (Saturday).
