Rapid City, SD - It"s back-to-school season and Black Hills Federal Credit Union is gearing up for the 20th annual School Supply Drive.�During the next month, BHFCU, as well as area businesses and people, will collect, sort and distribute everything from binders to backpacks, pens, pencils and paper for the annual drive.
"As a community, we"re working to reduce the financial burden of back-to-school expenses for many families and provide the supplies necessary to ensure more than 6,000 students are fully equipped to start the school year," said Heidi Bulman, business development officer at BHFCU.
Through Aug. 18, all Black Hills Federal Credit Union, Black Hills Corporation and Black Hills Energy locations will collect school supplies for the drive, which benefits students in more than 60 area schools in 14 communities across Western South Dakota.
During last year"s drive, the credit union distributed nearly 85,000 supplies to area schools, Bulman said.
Area businesses and individuals can also contribute by holding a drive at the workplace or by dropping off monetary donations at any BHFCU location.
BHFCU will pick up all donations during their annual "Bus to Business" event, in which they take a school bus around to participating businesses, Aug. 19. The Drive will culminate with a "Load the Bus" celebration where representatives from the area schools will gather to collect their individual school"s supplies Aug. 26. Teachers typically distribute those supplies within the first few weeks of the school year.
