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By Shane Clausing

School supplies

School supplies needed for Helping Hands of Grande Prairie drive

Aug 24, 2020 | 5:00 AM

Helping Hands of Grande Prairie is looking for sponsors to get back to school supplies for students before the start of the school year on September 1.

Helping Hands is a group that fills the needs within the community. These needs are fulfilled by members who are looking to help out their neighbours.

“Currently we are trying to provide all the necessary supplies for school, as well as a backpack, running shoes, and even potentially a first day of school outfit.” explained Jennifer Farquhar the Founder for Helping Hands of Grande Prairie.

As the start of the school year approaches on September 1, the group is looking to sponsor over 40 children..

Those in need that cannot afford essential school supplies in Grande Prairie and the Peace Region can apply to get sponsored by messaging Helping Hands on Facebook.

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Once a student or parent has their application submitted, the organization waits until someone from the community offers to sponsor one of the students in need.

Interested sponsors that reach out are then sent a supply list.

From there, those sponsors can pick and choose if they want to donate the whole list of supplies or if they only want to get a couple of items for the child.

“They (who want to sponsor a child) can shoot us a message on Facebook and take a look at the list and let us know about something that interests them, if there’s something they can sponsor or afford,” said Farquhar. “They can either choose to shop or provide a gift card to help purchase those items.”

As of right now, 32 different sponsors have helped out 32 different students.

While Helping Hands has set their goal is to help at least 40 students, Farquhar says if they can help more students they will, as they have a waiting list of people trying to take advantage of the program.

Farquhar says that one thing that stands out of the groups needs is buying school snacks for students, so they don’t go hungry throughout the day.

“We are also trying to do a drive for school snacks, to make sure they (the kids) have food in their belly’s.”

“The snacks are going to be are hardest (to fundraise) because between now and December, we are going to have a lot of families in need.”

Farquhar added that items like granola bars would go a long way to helping students in need get through the first few months of the school year.

The organization is hoping to have supplies in place for students in need by August 26.