Who provides free back

Summer will soon come to an end, which usually means children will be heading back to school. For some families, scraping up enough money to buy school supplies is a very demanding task.

Recently the Brunswick County Association of Realtors Cares Task Force members (real estate agents and real estate-related businesses) donated supplies to all Brunswick County elementary schools. They collected more than 100 bookbags, more than 100 binders, over 100 notebooks and other needed school supplies. They also raised $1,200, which will be used to purchase other items needed by the schools.

Here is a list of four local nonprofit organizations that can help ease the burden.

If you want your organization listed, please send information to [email protected].

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Communities In Schools, in partnership with Brunswick County Schools, is holding its first "Stuff Our Bus" event of 2023 on Monday, Aug. 7 and Tuesday, Aug. 8 at three Walmart locations in Brunswick County ― Leland, 1112 New Pointe Blvd.; Southport, 1675 N. Howe St.; and at Shallotte Crossing, 4540 Main St.

A Brunswick County School bus will be at each location where people can drop off school supply donations, then staff from Communities In Schools will collect the items. All items will be sorted, packed and distributed to each school in the district on Thursday, Aug. 10, so the schools can provide the items to students in need when school begins.

Supplies needed are listed below:

Also, Communities In Schools Thrift Shops are collecting at these three Brunswick locations. Boxes will be at each location through Friday, Aug. 25.

A back-to-school drive and free paper shredding will be held 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22 at Lifepoint Church Pine Valley, 3600 College Road, Wilmington.

Shred360 is hosting a back-to-school supply drive to benefit Good Shepherd of Wilmington.

In an effort to shred your sensitive documents in a timely manner, attendees are limited to three boxes (copy paper box or smaller) or three bags (kitchen trash bag or smaller) per vehicle. There is no need to remove binders, binder clips, paper clips, staples, rubber bands, or CDs/DVDs prior to shredding.

Also, Good Shepherd Center is accepting back-to-school items during business hours 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday at its location, 811 Martin St., Wilmington. For more, call 910-763-4424.

For 23 years, Communities in Schools of Cape Fear has hosted "Stuff the Bus" school supply drive and it will continue the tradition once again this year.

New school supply items are distributed to students in public schools across New Hanover and Pender counties.

Here are ways that the community can help.

Smart Start of Pender County is holding its annual back-to-school event on Wednesday, Aug. 9. Books and resources to children ages birth to 10 years of age will be distributed from 3-6 p.m. at Smart Start of Pender County, 600 N. Timberly Lane, Burgaw. Children must be present to receive the supplies. For more information, call 910-259-9978.