Salvation Army Hosts Back-to-School Supply Drives for Keiki in Need

The Salvation Army is asking the Big Island community to step up and help keiki in need get the supplies they need for the upcoming school year.

The organization is conducting back-to-school supply drives throughout July and August.

“We encourage our island communities to step up and help our keiki in need as families begin preparations for the upcoming 2022-23 school year,” Maj. Phil Lum, divisional commander for The Salvation Army Hawaiian and Pacific Islands. “The cost of many items on traditional back-to-school lists can be out of reach for many families and our goal is to help make sure each keiki has the supplies they need to succeed.”

Supply drives are being hosted at Salvation Army locations in Hilo and Kailua-Kona.

The Salvation Army Hilo Temple Corps is taking donations from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday through July 29. The facility is located at 219 Ponahawai St. in Hilo. To drop off a donation or for more information, call 808-935-1277.

The Salvation Army Kona Corps is accepting donations at is facility located at 75-223 Kalani St. in Kailua-Kona. School supply donations can be dropped off from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday through Aug. 14. For more information, contact Capt. Raghel Santiago at 808-326-2330 or via email at raghel.santiago@usw.salvationarmy.org.

Requested items include:

• Backpacks (most needed).
• Colored markers.
• Colored pencils.
• Composition notebooks.
• Crayons.
• Erasers.
• Facial tissue and paper towels
• Glue and glue sticks.
• Highlighters.
• School boxes.
• Pencils and pencil pouches.
• Pens (black, blue and red).
• Portfolios.
• Rulers.
• Scissors.
• Small calculators.
• Wide-rule binder paper.

For additional details about The Salvation Army’s various back-to-school supply drives and distributions or to make monetary donations to support the efforts, click here.

For more information at The Salvation Army or its events and other outreach, call 808-988-2136, click here or follow The Salvation Army on social media.