The annual effort started in 2011 due to the work of an Elon alum serving with the armed forces in Afghanistan.
As a part of the 2021-22 Planning Week events, the Elon University community will have its annual Faculty and Staff school supplies drive.
For the ten years that the drive has been held – the event was canceled last academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic – the Elon community has donated thousands of needed school supply items to the children of Alamance County.
James Black ’09 began the initiative in 2011 when, while serving in the armed forces in Afghanistan, he helped young children gain access to basic educational materials.
After a year that has worsened a community that was already in need, help is paramount. At the end of the 2019-2020 school year, nearly 60% of students in 36 schools met the eligibility requirement for free and reduced meals. In 11 of the schools, 100% of students receive free or reduced-price lunches. The Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS) Student Support Services team identified over 600 students in 2019-20 for McKinney-Vento services for students considered as lacking a permanent nighttime residence and experiencing homelessness.
Participating in the school supplies drive can happen in several ways:
- Purchase and drop-off school supplies on campus in one of the many drop-off locations from Monday, Aug. 16 to Friday, Aug. 20
- Purchase school supplies on-line and have them shipped to the Office of the Dean of Students at 2045 Campus Box, 100 Campus Dr., Elon, N.C. 27244
- Participate in the Alamance Chamber of Commerce’s Classroom Collection Campaign by making a cash donation at the chamber’s designated website.
The school supplies drive traditionally begins during the opening reception and President Connie Ledoux Book’s address. Collection boxes will be placed throughout campus. If someone has trouble finding the boxes, they can contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 336-278-2700 and someone will be dispatched to gather the donations.
Those at the Elon University School of Law who wish to participate can contact Stacie Dooley, the director of student life in the Office of Career and Student Development at Elon Law.
All school supplies are welcomed and appreciated, however, ABSS has identified a critical need for the following items:
- Book bags (best if can span ages and levels)
- 3-Ring Binders (1.5 in., 2 in., 2.5 in and 3 in.)
- Notebook paper (wide-ruled and college-ruled)
- Composition Notebook
- Pocket folders (with prongs or without)
- Colored pencils
- Crayons
- Washable markers
- Flash drives (4 GB or more)
Personal hygiene items that are needed include:
- shampoo
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- combs
- brushes
- body wash
- deodorant
- feminine hygiene products
- hand sanitizer
- gas cards
- food cards
- Ziploc bags
- Tissues
- Student sized-masks
The following are the designated drop-off box locations on campus:
- Janice Ratliff Building
- Moseley Campus Center Information Desk
- Koury Center Concourse (near Young Commons entrance)
- Ellington Center (Faculty/Staff Health and Wellness)
- The Francis Center Main Lobby
- Alamance Rotunda (near room 109)
- Lindner Hall (Outside Deans Suite, Room 104)
- Campus Shop (Elon Town Center)
- Campus Safety and Police (Oaks)
- Koury Business Center Lobby
- Powell Building (at Front Entrance)
- Belk Library – Front Entrance
- Technology Services Building
- Snow Family Grand Atrium (School of Communications)
- Business Services Building (Front Entrance)
- Physical Plant Building – Front Office
- Mooney Building- student lounge area