Rapid City, SD - Through generous donations from community partners, corporate sponsors, credit union staff and members, Black Hills Federal Credit Union collected more than 81,500 supplies during their 19
th annual School Supply Drive this summer.
Those supplies will assist more than 6,000 students in 60 schools across Western South Dakota, and significantly lessen the financial burden for many families in the area during back-to-school time.
"Over the past few years, weve seen the price of school supplies skyrocket, which makes it extremely hard for families on tight budgets to send their children back to school with all the necessary items for a successful year," said Kylene Casanova, business development officer at BHFCU. "This Drive is making it possible for students in 14 communities to start school on the right foot."
Since June 17, BHFCU and area businesses have been collecting everything from pencils, pens, and backpacks, to compasses and crayons. BHFCU employees have spent countless hours counting, sorting, and packaging those supplies based on each schools need, said Carol Brown, vice president of marketing & business development at BHFCU.
"This program is a community-wide effort to help our kids to not only learn, but to encourage them to stay in school and graduate," Brown said. "BHFCU has been doing this for the last 19 years, and has a vested interest in seeing our children succeed and become the leaders of our community in the future. We plan on doing this for many years to come."
On Friday, representatives from area schools were on hand to collect their schools individual supplies during BHFCUs "Load the Bus" celebration. Teachers will distribute those supplies in the coming weeks, as students head back to school.
