Carmen Moyet doesn’t know what she would have done this month without the Community Shelter Services school-supply program.

“I was praying that something was going to help me,” said Moyet, 36, an unemployed single parent with school-age children. “Thank God, this program was there to help us. They give us book bags and other stuff I can’t afford.”

But unless more donors come forward soon, dozens of families like Moyet’s (pictured on the left) could go without the school supplies and clothing their children need, just as classes are set to begin at the region’s schools.

Donations to Community Shelter Service’s annual school-supplies drive are down, said Denise Kolivoski, director of marketing and development at the facility, 655 W. 16th St. She said 85 children served by the shelter don’t have sponsors to provide any of the items they need.

Compounding the problem is a boost in demand.

“There were slightly more requests” for help with school supplies this year than in past years, said Kolivoski.

“But we cannot accept these new families due to a decrease in the number of donations this year. Unfortunately, one day last week, the staff had to turn away 10 families by noontime that came to our agency right off the streets. These were families so desperate and in need of school supplies they were coming to our door, asking if we had anything at all to give.”

School supplies most in demand include loose-leaf paper, three-subject notebooks, five-subject notebooks, dictionaries, pencil sharpeners, rulers, pencil bags, erasers, three-ring binders and glue sticks, according to the Community Shelter Services Web site, www.communityshelter.org.

School uniforms — khaki, navy blue or black boys’ and girls’ uniform pants, in any size, and white uniform shirts — are also needed for children served by the shelter.

Kathleen Cancilla, CSS executive director, blames difficult times for the downturn in donations.

“The economy is to blame as more and more families are struggling,” Cancilla said.

Locally, there might be another factor.

Mike Batchelor, Erie Community Foundation president, said, “My general sense — nothing statistically valid — is that donations are down in Erie across the board. The Erie Community Foundation is having a slow year, our first ever.

“I can’t tell if it is related to the ($100 million) anonymous friend fund or not. My guess is yes.”

Whatever the reason for the dip in donations, school supplies and clothing are essential for students, and they don’t come cheap.

The National Retail Federation’s 2008 Back to School Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey found that the average family with school-age children will spend $594.24 on back-to-school purchases. That is up from $563.49 in 2007.

Moyet has three children to provide for: a child in fourth grade and two others in second grade at Wayne Elementary School. Her tight budget doesn’t allow for that kind of spending.

“I hope people start donating,” she said. “This program helps so many kids and mothers who just don’t have the ability to provide everything.”

The CSS’ Kolivoski said the school-supply drive has “a real impact on young lives. … Sponsors usually adopt a child by outfitting them with a couple of uniforms, jackets, shoes, socks and school supplies. These children are so very poor and are in need of these necessities to feel on par with their peers and empowered with the ability to have a successful school year.”

Kolivoski said she doesn’t think people realize what great need exists in the community. Regarding donated school clothes, she said, “These are more than just school uniforms for so many of these children. Many of them sleep in those uniforms because they don’t have any other clothes or pajamas. It’s sad.”

Source: The Erie Times
By: Bryan Oberle