Elon University President Leo M. Lambert announced this week a special campus initiative to collect and distribute school supplies to hundreds of homeless children in Alamance County and to children at a school in Afghanistan who struggle for access to basic educational materials.
In emails to the student body, the president asked for assistance “that could make a big difference in a child’s life.” Items to be collected include the following:
Spiral Notebooks
Composition Books
Graph Paper
3-Ringed Binders
3×5” Index Cards
#2 Pencils
Erasers
Rulers
Highlighters
Black or Blue Ink Pens
Colored Pencils
Markers (Especially Washable)
Pencil Pouches with Binder Holes
Glue Sticks
Flash Drives (for Alamance County students)
The idea for the school supply drive started with an email from an alumnus to Lambert and quickly grew to encompass both Elon’s local and global communities. Members of the Student Government Association, the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, and Elon Volunteers! are working with the Kernodle Center for Service Learning & Community Engagement to organize this school supplies drive.
Donations from incoming freshmen can be dropped off at collection bins that will be located in each residential area, and student leaders are also prepared to accept gifts. The university is placing boxes for returning students, faculty and staff around campus in locations such as the Moseley Center, in the Koury Athletics Center, Belk Library and in the dean’s office suite at Elon Law.
The university is making a special request to faculty and staff to donate back packs and book bags, either new or used, and any school supply donations are welcomed as well.
The donations will be evenly divided to benefit students in Alamance County and at the school in Afghanistan.
“Your donation will help a child pursue an education, the key to a better life, both locally and globally,” Lambert said.
