For the entire month of July, the Salvation Army of Augusta is launching a school supplies drive to collect essential materials that will assist the families served at the Center of Hope.
Reassessing the needs of current resident families within the shelter, especially that of women and children who make up about 52 percent of clients, the Salvation Army holds a drive every month with varying donation requests.
With an increase in children currently staying at the Center of Hope shelter, the Salvation Army is requesting the community’s help in gathering educational supplies donations to prepare students for the upcoming school year.
“This past month we were collecting sneakers and belts because we were seeing a lot of clients who needed those things, but this upcoming month we are in need of school supplies,” said Janelys Villata, the Salvation Army’s Marketing and Public Relations Manager. “We’re seeing quite a few more families and children staying at our shelter, so we’re planning for that accordingly.”
While the shelter has an extensive age range among minor residents, the month of May averaging about 21 children a night, the Salvation Army relayed a particular increase in boys ages 4 to 16 years old.
Donations such as backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, calculators and other important items are being collected at downtown Augusta’s Center of Hope, located at 1384 Greene St.
“These kids are coming from scenarios where it was a domestic violence situation or they had to leave home because of utilities going up or something like that; these kids are already through so much so we just want to help them kind of ease their transitioning,” said Villata. “As we help their parents find permanent housing, we want the kids to have some sense of normalcy in school so they still have something to be excited for.”
Other drop-off points include the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center, which can be found at 1833 Broad St., and any local Salvation Army Family Stores in the CSRA.
“We want to help [the shelter’s children] feel as normal as possible … people just come and donate supplies whenever we’re open,” said Villata. “People can just come wherever is most convenient and closest for them, it all ends up going to the same place.”
The Center of Hope is open Monday through Friday at 9 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 3 p.m., while the Kroc Center is open Monday through Saturday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information about the Salvation Army or their local efforts, visit: https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/augusta
