School Supplies Being Collected For Local Kids in Foster Care

An Iowa organization is asking for your help in collecting school supplies to give to local children in the foster care system.

The group Families Helping Families of Iowa (FHF) is the organization behind the collection. According to their website, they are "a unique nonprofit organization offering programs and services designed specifically to help and assist Iowa’s foster care children, and the families that care for them." They sent out a press release Tuesday stating that they will be collecting school supply donations to provide "new, fully-stocked backpacks for more than 500 children in foster care, relative placement or who have been adopted from foster care."

Due to the coronavirus pandemic they'll be gathering these supplies a little differently this year. Usually, every year FHF teams up with local businesses to host drives. Since many businesses are closed and employees are working from home due to COVID-19, FHF has came up with a virtual way to collect supplies.

Here's how it works. Between now and Friday, July 24, you can ship your donations to the Families Helping Families office.

Families Helping Families
3516 Center Point Road NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

If you're wondering what exactly to donate, you can check out a full list of school supplies needed from their Amazon shopping list. If you'd prefer to not ship supplies, you could also make a financial donation online here. For more information on FHF's Back To School Rally, visit the website HERE, contact office@fhfia.org or call 319-294-9706.