Worcester GOLD and the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department have teamed up to collect school supplies for children in need.
Marketing flyer-Worcester County school supply drive
Submitted photo
By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer
Worcester GOLD, a group that supports low-income county residents, and the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department have teamed up to collect school supplies for children in need.
The organizers are requesting pencil boxes, pink erasers, composition books, 3×5 and 4×6 index cards, scissors, solid color pocket folders, #2 pencils, blue, black, and red pens, crayons, one-inch and two-inch binders, colored pencils, spiraled notebooks, and pencil cap erasers.
Worcester GOLD Executive Director Nicholas Cranford said the most needed items include backpacks, wired headphones, tissue boxes, disinfecting wipes, gallon and quart storage bags, glue sticks, dry-erase markers, highlighters, and hand sanitizer.
Supplies will be collected at the Ocean Pines Police Department’s National Night Out beginning at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 6. The recreation and parks group is also currently accepting donations in the community center lobby until the first responders’ event.
According to Cranford, Worcester GOLD has been running its School Supplies for Students Program for over 25 years, receiving 300 plus requests from the community to help children living in low-income households. Individuals can donate directly to the organization by mailing a check, with “school supplies” on the memo line, to PO Box 335, Snow Hill, MD 21863, or online. Visit Worcester GOLD’s website for more information.
For the last few years, Worcester GOLD has had the support of the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department, which will be collecting school supplies at National Night Out and in the OPA community center lobby. This allows residents who live in the area to donate easily.
“This program provides students with the school and grade-specific supplies they need to be prepared to learn and blend in with their peers,” Cranford said. “We partner with the schools to collect the lists to ensure each child has the needed items.”
The executive director noted that Worcester GOLD will collect school items during the Worcester County Fair in Snow Hill from Aug. 9 to Aug. 11. The University of Maryland Extension office is partnering with Worcester GOLD and the fair on the effort.
The fair will be held at John Walter Smith Park at 6022 Public Landing Road, adjacent to the Worcester County Recreation Center. Fair hours are Friday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The charitable organization is also gearing up to host its “Fill the VAULT” campaign in October.
“We’ll be collecting new basic needs items like clothing, diapers, hygiene items, and household products,” Cranford said. “The VAULT (Vast Amounts of Useful Little Things) is a room in our office where we keep new basic needs items for our eligible clients to shop for what they need in a private and dignified way.”
The School Supplies for Students Program provides each child in need with a backpack filled with grade-specific items catered to their needs. The project helps children experiencing homelessness, foster care, disabilities, and those living in single-parent homes.
In addition to donating, individuals can become shoppers, where they are matched up with a student and purchase supplies based on their specific needs. For more information, visit Worcester GOLD’s website.
“We are so thankful to each of our supporters who sacrificed for the success of this program, providing for thousands of children over the years,” Cranford said.