7 Circle of Kindness: School supply donation drive shatters last year’s total

DAYTON — The numbers are in, and the community really came together to help our local students who are in need of school supplies.

The 7 Circle of Kindness Great Backpack Give Back continues through the end of the month, but the one-day donation event last week shattered the previous record.

Nearly $16,000 in school supplies and more than $1,000 in financial donations were collected.

A total that was almost $5,000 more than the $12,5000 that was collected in last year’s one-day event.

Malena Ball who is the Marketing Manager with Crayons to Classrooms said, “We have found that the Dayton community is such a tight-knit group that is so generous. There are so many different nonprofits, so many people working for the good of the city and the community surrounding areas. And so the generosity of people especially, this event last week, was incredible.”

Generosity is felt directly by more than 120 teachers who often use their own money to buy supplies for many of their students from lower-income homes. As for the kids themselves, Ball said nothing promotes learning like feeling you have everything you need.

“It shows that they have something that they can use, a sense of ownership, and it can build confidence and just give them the ability to participate. I mean, they can’t do anything on the first day of school if they don’t have anything to write with or anything to write on. So those are very basic things, but they’re very real needs in the community,” Ball said.

The Great Backpack Give Back continues through August 31 and you can drop off supplies at any Morris Home or Ashley store. You can also make donations at any point on the Crayons to Classrooms website.

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