Operation Supply Our Students collecting donations, distributing supplies for students

The United Way of the Coastal Bend and KRIS 6 News' annual school supply drive aims to equip more than 30,000 Coastal Bend students for the new school year.

Operation Supply Our Students is ongoing. The initiative has served Coastal Bend students for 34 years.

Donations can be made online at uwcb.org/sos or by texting SOS to 91999.

All donations go toward the wholesale purchase of basic school supplies, which are distributed to 43 public school districts in ten Coastal Bend counties.

According to the United Way website, more than 55,000 students lack the supplies they need for school.

This year, the initiative has raised over $109,000 so far, a record-breaking amount that will supply over 30,000 students, United Way of the Coastal Bend Resource Development Director Lindsey Dreyer said. In past years, the initiative has served between 22,000 and 25,000 students.

Volunteers are helping to sort through thousands of pounds of school supplies this week. Next week, representatives from area school districts will pick up the supplies, which the schools will distribute to students this school year.

In addition to monetary donations, which are used to purchase school supplies to share directly with schools, the United Way also accepts donated school supplies at its 4659 Everhart Road location. Donated supplies are shared with nonprofits that serve children.

This year's supporters include Puente De Maravillas Foundation, H-E-B Gulf Coast Region, the Selena Foundation, Kenedy Memorial Foundation, Bob and Catherine Hillard of Hillard Law Firm, Rally Credit Union, First State Bank of Texas-Three Rivers, Valero Corpus Christi, Sames Ford, LyondellBasell and First Community Bank in Portland.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Operation Supply Our Students collecting donations, distributing supplies for students