South King Fire and Rescue, Heritage Bank and Grace Church in Federal Way will officially begin accepting backpacks and school supplies donations for Federal Way Public Schools on Aug. 4. The drive will run through Aug. 25.
Starting the weekend before, sandwich boards will advertise drop-off sites at local fire departments, said Lt. Jeff Bellinghausen, community affairs officer for South King Fire and Rescue.
For several yearsb the fire department has been the main gatherer of backpacks during drives, Bellinghausen said.
Heritage Bank and Grace Church will also have collection bins, but the community often finds it easier to deliver supplies to nearby fire stations, said Wendy McIntosh, executive pastor at Grace Church.
“People are so generous,” Bellinghausen said. “Federal Way really steps up.”
In the past, enough supplies have been collected to resource five or six schools, based on school needs.
Needed supplies include backpacks, glue, pencils, folders and notebooks, among other things.
“The backpack and school supply drive works to ensure that every student is positioned for success as the year begins,” John McIntosh, lead pastor at Grace Church, wrote in an email.
The supplies also provide teachers with the resources they need to run the classroom, Wendy McIntosh said.
“We love to serve our city,” she said.
Grace Church and South King Fire and Rescue have partnered for four years to collect supplies.
“The fire department jumped at the opportunity to partner with the team from Grace, and every year the partnership has grown to include the annual school cleanup and collection at all fire stations and Grace Church for needed school items,” Fire Chief Allen Church wrote in an email.
South King Fire and Rescue has four stations in Federal Way:
• Station 62 at 31617 First Ave.
• Station 63 at 334114 21st Ave.
• Station 64 at 3700 S. 320th St.
• Station 68 at 1405 SW 312th St.
Donations can also be made at Heritage Bank, 32303 Pacific Highway; and at Grace Church, 1232 SW Dash Point Road. For a full list of needed supplies, visit www.gcfw.org and click on “needs.”
The partners will also gather on Aug. 9 to clean up Olympic View and Lake Grove elementary schools, Wendy McIntosh said.
Volunteers will weed flower beds, spread bark and touch up paint on playgrounds and curbs.
“If people want to join us, we’ll have things to do,” she said.
Fill the Canoe school drive
Red Canoe Credit Union is also hosting its annual Fill the Canoe school supplies drive in Federal Way through Aug. 15. The credit union matches per pound supplies collected during the drive.
New supplies, especially backpacks, calculators, binders and pencil boxes, can be dropped off at the following locations:
• Red Canoe Credit Union, 33616 Pacific Highway
• St. Francis Hospital, 34515 Ninth Ave. S.
• Federal Way Chamber of Commerce, 31919 First Ave.
• Sylvan Learning Center, 332020 First Ave., suite 109
• Federal Way Public Schools Educational Service Center, 33330 Eighth Ave.
For more information, visit www.fillthecanoe.com.
