FIRST CLASS PROJECT LOOKING FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES

The Davenport Post Office, National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 506, Davenport Community School District, and Diocese of Davenport Schools will coordinate the seventh annual First Class Project on Saturday, August 14, this year, collecting new school supplies for hundreds of needy students throughout the communities of Davenport, Blue Grass, Buffalo and Walcott. 

Postcards are going out to area households this weekend, asking for donations to be either set out for the mail carrier on August 14 OR to be dropped off at United States Post Office locations in Davenport, Buffalo, Blue Grass or Walcott anytime between Monday, August 2^nd and Saturday, August 14^th.   Here is a list of the supplies residents are asked to donate so all children may start the 2004-2005 school year on a positive and productive note: No. 2 pencils, red pencils, colored pencils, blue and black pens, Crayola crayons, washable Crayola markers, washable glue, pencil boxes, pocket folders, spiral notebooks, theme paper, Fiskar scissors and dry erase markers.

The donated supplies will be distributed by the First Class organizers to public and private schools on the basis of each school’s free and reduced-price meal student enrollments from the previous school year.  Other volunteers and staff members at each school will organize distribution of the donated supplies to their individual students. 

Businesses, organizations or individuals interested in making monetary or large group supply donations to First Class may contact Karen Farley, Davenport Community Schools Development Department, at 336-5088.

Through the First Class Project over the past seven years, hundreds of thousands of school supplies valued at more than $200,000 have been donated by community residents for needy students.  Early in its history, the First Class Project also was recognized for outstanding planning and implementation by both the Iowa School Public Relations Association and the National School Public Relations Association.

Families needing supplies for their children should work with their children’s school – supplies will be available after registration on August 19^th at most schools.