CLAY COUNTY – The first day of school is a month away. That doesn’t leave many students and teachers a lot of time to get ready.

That’s why several organizations currently are working to stockpile supplies and money to make sure everyone has the tools to learn.

The Salvation Army, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Clay Education Foundation, 121 Financial and the Middleburg Civic Association are a few of the groups collecting supplies for distribution ahead of the first day of classes on Aug. 10.

“It comes quick, you know. Summer's here and then it's gone,” said Makayla Buchanan, President and CEO of Clay Education Foundation.

Buchanan said teachers spend an average of $800 of their own money on supplies. Clay Education Foundation created its Tools 4 Clay Schools program to offset those costs.

The first of four annual donations will be on Aug. 8 at the Garber Auto Mall in Green Cove Springs and at Keystone Heights Elementary. Buchanan said 1,600 teachers are expected to receive supplies at either location.

“We want to make sure their students have the pencils they need, the paper they need, so on and so forth – year-round,” Buchanan said. “So, we'll do a shopping event for teachers all day long, essentially in August, October, January and in March. We obviously rely on our community partners like the Bailey Group and VyStar Credit Union and Garber Auto Mall to support us in that endeavor. Office Depot, Staples and Publix will do different campaigns that they'll run for their cashiers – rounding up dollars and things. So, it's a big effort, but it's worthwhile.”

Other organizations are collecting supplies and backpacks. The Salvation Army’s Annual Backpack Outreach Event provides “much-needed school supplies and backpacks, promotes a sense of community and support, educates the general public about resources in the area, provides medical care, haircuts, clothing, entertainment and so much more,” according to SA’s Jennifer Wheeler.

The Salvation Army also will provide free sports physicals. To register, parents should call (904) 276-6677.

During the 2021-2022 school year, Salvation Army’s Project REACH identified around 862 students experiencing homelessness, 622 of them still being active. This year’s event will be on July 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Middleburg Civic Association and Sheriff Michelle Cook want to collect 100 new backpacks for needy children. New backpacks can be dropped off at the Sheriff’s Office in Green Cove Springs.

Another effort is being coordinated by 121 Financial Credit Union. Its summertime Back-to-School supply drive is in partnership with Sulzbacher, a provider of health, housing and income services for people experiencing homelessness.

The supply drive runs today through July 30 and will benefit the children and families at the Sulzbacher Village as they prepare for the 2022-2023 school year, as well as any child in need who lives nearby the Sulzbacher Village campus.

Sulzbacher and 121 Financial Credit Union invite the community to donate school supplies, classroom supplies or complete, ready-to-use backpacks at any 121 Financial Credit Union branches, including the Argyle/Orange Park location at 6801 Blanding Boulevard and 1714 Blanding Boulevard in Middleburg through July 30.

“As inflation continues to rise rapidly, families experiencing homelessness or poverty are being hit especially hard in this very difficult economic climate,” said David Marovich, chief executive officer for 121 Financial Credit Union. “Education is a necessity, yet the costs of obtaining important educational tools are rising faster than many people’s ability to afford them. We see it as our responsibility to help our neighbors experiencing homelessness or poverty to start the next school year on the right foot, and we are asking for the community to join us in this effort.”

The Sulzbacher Village currently provides housing and supportive services to approximately 80 families and 262 school-age children. Sulzbacher will also donate school supplies and backpacks to children and families who live nearby the Village campus. In total, Sulzbacher hopes to provide approximately 350 children – or more – with necessary school supplies.

A variety of school and classroom supplies are needed for elementary and middle/high school students and teachers.

Needed supplies include: clear backpacks (without wheels), pencils, pencil sharpeners, pencil pouches, loose-leaf notebook paper, composition notebooks, two- and three-prong folders, headphones, one-inch three-ring binders, copy paper, tissues, hand sanitizer, glue sticks, glue, highlighters, colored pencils, markers, crayons, gallon- and quarter-sized Ziploc baggies, Sharpies, sanitizing wipes, dry erase markers, wire-bound weekly planner, sticky notes, USB flash drives, tab dividers, sheet protectors, T1 calculator, graph paper, protractors, thin markers, pocket dictionary and Thesaurus and disposable masks,

For more information about the school supply drive, visit www.121fcu.org.