(DALLAS) – Getting ready for school can be costly for both teachers and students. United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Stock the School event, presented by Mr. Cooper, bridges the opportunity gap, setting both students and teachers up for a successful school year. Volunteers will collect and stock essential learning supplies for 20 classrooms at Dallas Independent School District’s Cedar Crest Elementary School on Saturday, August 10. Volunteers will also work to provide a facelift to facilities, creating a fresh and revitalized learning environment for young students.
United Way volunteers will stuff dozens of classroom kits with much-needed supplies, including composition notebooks, folders, markers and pencils, before the campus’s official first day of school on August 19. In addition to sorting donated supplies, more than 100 volunteers will work to revitalize areas of the school to create a re-energized, positive learning environment. Projects will include remodeling teacher workspaces, painting and cleaning shared spaces, and assembling and installing updated educational décor. The event, supported by Mr. Cooper and TXU Energy, aims to ensure students and teachers walk into the classroom confident, empowered and prepared from day one.
“We are especially proud to support United Way’s work to help North Texas teachers and students get excited and ready for a successful school year,” said Francis Lobo, Chief Business and Product Officer at Mr. Cooper. “We want to equip and empower students early on by providing essential supplies to make them feel confident both academically and socially laying the foundation for a bright future.”
A recent national survey by Deloitte estimates the average back-to-school spend per household is $519. The latest Huntington Backpack Index shows the cost of school supplies has nearly doubled during the last decade. Rising costs can create financial challenges for hardworking parents of school-aged children. United Way’s initiative helps fill the gap, relieving the budget pinch for financially-strapped families.
“Together, we can ease financial stress for students, allowing them to focus on learning and starting strong on the path toward academic achievement,” said Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton President and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. “United Way is committed to putting opportunity in the hands of North Texans, ensuring all students can thrive and succeed.”
United Way leads the charge to improve education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity. The Stock the School event is part of United Way’s effort to bring the best people, ideas and projects together to achieve lasting results right here at home. To learn more about United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and how to give and get involved, visit UnitedWayDallas.org.
