Donors to the City of Palm Beach United Way’s 2024 school supply drive donated nearly $15,000 and nearly 17,000 individual school supply items to this year’s drive, the charity said.
The 12th annual fundraiser, which benefits needy children in Palm Beach County for the 2024-25 school year, was held July 28-August 11.
“Many of our supporters have children and grandchildren and understand how important it is for children to have school supplies,” said Richard Rothschild, United Way board chairman, in a prepared statement. “Hundreds of local underprivileged children depend on our community for their school supplies. We are eternally grateful for the overwhelming support for this year’s drive.”
In total, the school supply drive raised $14,698, United Way officials said, and collected 16,869 individual items, including pencils, pens, crayons, markers, notebooks, erasers, backpacks, folders and binders.
Recipients of the supplies included students at Lake Worth Middle School, a Title I school where the majority of students receive free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch. Supplies also went to youth served by United Way partner organizations, including Project LIFT, Vita Nova and the YWCA of Palm Beach County.
Project LIFT targets students ages 14 to 19 in the Glades. Approximately 85% of the students who benefit from Project LIFT live below the federal poverty line.
“Teens are often overlooked in school supply drives, but just like little ones, adolescents need school supplies too,” said Lauren Adrian, chief impact officer for Project LIFT, in a prepared statement. “The youth we serve are considered at-risk and face many challenges. Our goal is to remove as many barriers as possible that hinder their success.”
Vita Nova, which provides education, housing and job placement for former foster children and other homeless youth, will use its share of the cash donations to purchase bus tickets, which the agency’s 18- to 25-year-old clients need to graduate from high school, get a GED or start college.
This year was the third year that a logo contest was held. The winner was 10-year-old Harlan Lambert of Palm Beach, who drew a giraffe collecting school supplies.
“I made this drawing because my friend is visiting from Africa, so I drew a giraffe. We both love reading and school, so I combined our likes and loves to make this drawing,” Lambert wrote in her application letter.
Harlan’s design will serve as next year’s logo and she will also receive a $200 Amazon gift card.
The annual school supply drive is conducted in partnership with Field of Greens, Palm Beach Daily News and Palm Beach Fire Rescue.
