Beech Acres collects school supplies to support local students

With the new school year fast approaching, Beech Acres Parenting Center is once again rallying the community to help local students start strong.

The nonprofit’s annual Equip-a-Kid campaign is underway, collecting school supplies and needed essentials for children and families across Greater Cincinnati. Beech Acres will accept donations through Tuesday, Aug. 5, in the first-floor lobby of its downtown Cincinnati office at 615 Elsinore Place.

Requested items this year include backpacks, folders, notebooks, pencils, glue sticks, rulers, highlighters and loose-leaf paper. The campaign also seeks items such as weighted blankets, thinking putty, coloring books and games, as well as hygiene products and snacks.

The organization also welcomes monetary donations to its Family Emergency Fund.

“Many families struggle with supplies and other basic needs throughout the entire year,” said Jordan Huizenga, Beech Acres’ vice president of development. “The community’s generosity through this campaign will reduce worry and stress while providing comfort to families.”

Beech Acres serves more than 32,000 people annually through services such as foster care, kinship and adoptive support, behavioral health, and parent coaching.

As part of its mission, the 176-year-old organization provides multi-level support to students, families, and educators in dozens of area schools. Its programs include Beyond the Classroom, a model that improves behavioral wellness and learning readiness, and The Character Effect, which supports social and emotional learning for teachers and students.

Through its Equip-a-Kid effort, Beech Acres supports hundreds of children in need each year. Last year, the community helped gather enough items to fill backpacks for 325 local students.

Beech Acres Parenting Center