FCPS Drive Helps Kids Prepare for 2015-16 School Year

Fairfax County Public Schools is collecting school supplies in order to ensure every student is prepared for the upcoming school year.

Collect for Kids is a coordinated school supply drive to benefit needy FCPS students. The drive will provide school supplies for the 2015-16 school year for students who qualify for free and reduced-price meals. Approximately 52,000 FCPS students receive free and reduced-price meals, FCPS says.

The drive, which will concentrate on cash, backpacks and calculators, will run through Sept. 4.

Citizens can support the students in one of three ways:

Cash donations: By partnering with Office Depot, Kitz for Kids, and Walmart, Collect for Kids purchases school supplies in bulk, translating a $1 donation into $3 worth of school supplies. A $10 donation can fill a backpack with FCPS-approved supplies. Donations are accepted online.

Backpack donations: Donations of new backpacks can be brought to any Apple FCU or Northwest FCU branch, or to any affiliated organization. Visit Apple FCU or Northwest FCU for branch locations. There is always a need for additional large backpacks for high school students, says FCPS.

Calculator donations: Calculators, which will help support students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects, can be donated to Apple FCU or any partnered not-for-profit organization. The Collect for Kids website lists partners.

Preferred models are the TI 30Xa Solar School Edition or TI-84 Series calculators, but other models may be donated.