Groups plan events to help with school supplies

With the first day of school approaching fast, organizations in the Cape Girardeau area soon will host events to help students in need of school supplies.

Robert Harris, founder of the Cape Girardeau Community Gardens, organizes an annual Urban Kids Project, where children ages 6 to 12 can pick up free back-to-school supplies, including markers, crayons, pencils, notebooks, erasers, glue sticks and more.

This year's event will be from noon to 2 p.m. Monday at the Shawnee Park Center.

Harris said several community organizations will be there to share information about the services they offer, including Community Caring Council and Cross Trails Medical Center.

The Missouri Department of Conservation also will be at the event.

"We will try to expose kids to more than just urban life," he said. "(The conservation department) was there last year. The kids loved seeing the different animals and things there at the exhibit."

The project has grown significantly since Harris and his mother, Bernice, organized the first event in 2011.

Seven children attended the event the opening year, with Harris and his mother providing most of the funding.

Harris said when friends and others in the community learned about the event, they began to help with the finances.

More than 200 children participated last year.

He hopes the amount of supplies offered will continue to grow, and more clothing and hygiene items can be offered.

First General Baptist Church of Cape Girardeau also will help students get school supplies by hosting a back-to-school carnival from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday.

Kim Kapp of the church said students will play carnival games, and then they'll receive tickets to turn in for free school supplies.

Kapp said the event is open to the community, and food also will be available. The supplies and food are donations from the church.

For those who come across back-to-school sales, Samaritan's Purse is encouraging people to stock up on supplies for Operation Christmas Child.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoe boxes to more than 124 million children in more than 150 countries and territories, according to a Samaritan's Purse news release. In 2015, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoe-box gifts to reach another 11 million children.

National Collection Week for gift-filled shoe boxes is Nov. 16 through 23.

This year, there are two new relay centers in the area: Cape Bible Chapel in Cape Girardeau and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson. More information can be found at samaritanspurse.org/occ.

Any other organizations holding local school-supply drives can list them at semoevents.com.

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

835 S. West End Blvd., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

1812 Cape LaCroix Road, Cape Girardeau, Mo.