This year, our community came together in support of students and families living in poverty and struggling to make ends meet. I want to thank all the volunteers, donors and sponsors of the numerous back to school supply drives in Lewis County and beyond. It is your continued generosity that helps make a positive change in our community.
In Lewis County, almost 15 percent of families are living in poverty. In school districts like Morton and Centralia, almost 70 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches as a result of their families’ household income. According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, almost one out of every two students in Chehalis is eligible for a free or reduced lunch. Too often families in our community— your neighbors — struggle to find the funds to support their child’s educational needs.
According to the 2018 Huntington Backpack Index, which tracks national classroom supply and yearly school fee costs, the average yearly cost for elementary students is $637; $941 for middle school students; and $1,355 for high school students. You can see how these costs could, and often does, put a significant strain on a family budget. That is where “back to school” supply drives relieve the pressure on many families so that their children can have an equal opportunity to be successful in school.
Thanks to the significant community support, the Centralia School Supply drive continues to grow, and this year, our success was due to the volunteer efforts of Centralia students and local partnerships. In particular, I want to personally thank Centralia coaches Doug Ashmore and Jeremy Thibault. Their players from the football and girls volleyball and basketball teams helped raise $2,000 at our Walmart “Stuff the Bus” event and they actually stuffed the bus with countless dollars worth of clothes, backpacks and back-to-school supplies. There are few better experiences than seeing students volunteer their time and effort to help their classmates in need. It was truly heartwarming to witness the volunteer students helping their classmates and at the same time becoming better community members because they were more aware of our community’s struggles.
The community support from organizations and businesses was also encouraging. The Centralia Community Foundation and the law firm of Althauser Rayan Abbarno were joined by Centralia Downtown Association businesses, The Chronicle, Thorbeckes Athletic Club, Dick’s Brewing Company, City of Centralia, Black Dog Pottery, Life Center, Centralia Chiropractic Center, Innovations in EyeCare and TwinStar Credit Union. These partnerships are important because poverty and homelessness are not solved, reduced or eliminated by money alone. They must be addressed by awareness, education and cooperation. The “back to school” drives throughout our communities are a piece of the puzzle and we can’t do it alone.
Again, thank you for your support. Please consider joining and supporting your community’s supply drive next year and all year long.
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Peter Abbarno is a local attorney and a Centralia city councilor.
