Understanding the hardships of growing up in a low-income household and a desire to help his fellow citizens is what caused Dylan Schumacher to begin an annual School Supply Drive.

Having started July 1 this year, the drive will run through July 31, and Schumacher hopes to collect enough supplies to fill 1,000 backpacks.

“It used to be that I was one of those kids who did not have enough school supplies,” he said. “I am now at a point where I can help as much as possible.”

This year marks the third annual drive, and Schumacher found other businesses to help with the venture — mosaic church, 2nd Chance Thrift Store, One Love Barbershop, Sign Creations and Schumacher Accounting. Schumacher said people do not need to buy backpacks since mosaic church will provide enough for the drive.

However, those backpacks need to be filled with supplies for the kids. He said there are no requirements for supplies (other than the list which is included below), but stressed every little donation helps.

“It goes a long way,” Schumacher said. “Even $5 can help a kid in need. Really, anything helps.”

Donations for the backpacks can be delivered to 2nd Chance Thrift Store and Spahn & Rose.

The first year the drive was held taught him the number of backpacks to shoot for was 1,000.

“The first year, we planned for 500 and surpassed that the first day,” Schumacher said. “We’ve given backpacks to about 800 to 1,000 families each year. They are not limited to one bag, but try to limit the number of bags to each family to four.”

Limiting households to four will help ensure all students get supplies, he said. Parents with students in grades kindergarten through eighth can get backpacks Aug. 12 and Aug. 13 at 2nd Chance Thrift Store.

“I am happy to do this for my community and I hope we have a great turnout,” Schumacher said. “We look forward to helping the kids as much as possible.”

NEEDED SUPPLIES:

• Headphones

•#2 pencils

• Glue sticks

• 24-count Crayons

• Scissors

• Large erasers

• Pencil boxes

• Washable markers

• Dry-erase markers

• Composition notebooks

• Highlighters

• Blue and black pens

• Colored pencils

• Two-pocket solid colored folders

• Wide-ruled spiral notebooks

PICK-UP LOCATION:

Backpacks full of school supplies will be given to students in grades kindergarten through eighth on Aug. 12 and Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at 2nd Chance Thrift Store, 230 S. Third Ave.

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Contact Lana Bradstream

at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.