Parish-wide School Supply Drive in 11th Year of Helping Local Families!
ASSESS the NEED is a parish-wide school supply drive sponsored by Livingston Parish Assessor Jeff Taylor, in partnership with area businesses and media outlets.
All donations received by the non-profit campaign will go to provide school supplies for children in the Livingston Parish School System who have been determined to benefit from this assistance.
2011 will mark our 11th year of supplying needy children in the Livingston Parish Public School System with school supplies! Through the years, we have collected more than $450,000 worth of supplies for Livingston Parish students and helped so many children in our parish, thanks to the generous support we have received from our sponsors, community volunteers, and donors. We have received feedback from so many teachers and school counselors that the donations we give to the schools have such a positive influence on the attitudes and behaviors of the students who need the supplies.
School teachers and principals estimate that up to 10 percent of the students will start school in August without the supplies they need - that's estimated to be approximately 2,200 to 2,400 children for the 2011-2012 school year. Without the necessary supplies for each student, teachers are faced with two options: buy the needed materials with their own paychecks, which many of them do, or alter course assignments to account for the lack of supplies.
Basic school supplies -- notebooks, paper, scissors, glue, crayons, markers, construction paper, pencils, ink pens, rulers, pocket folders and book bags -- can be purchased by the ASSESS the NEED program for about $20 to $25 for each child. Bulk purchases and tax-free advantages help to hold the cost down.
ASSESS the NEED volunteers will be working over the coming weeks to collect financial contributions and donated supplies which they will then organize for distribution to all parish schools. Supplies will be distributed proportionately to all parish schools, based on need, until all requests are met or supplies and/or funds are exhausted. Principals and teachers will determine which children from their schools will benefit from the donations, and they will distribute the items to them.
It's important that our students begin the school year on a positive. Doing so can set the tone for their success for the rest of the year. We're counting on the generosity of the people of Livingston Parish to make sure this year's supply drive meets the needs once again. Working together, we will be able to give our children the tools they need to learn and SUCCEED!
Sincerely,
Jeff Taylor Livingston Parish Assessor
Contact Us: ASSESS the NEED PO Box 1802 Denham Springs, LA 70727-1802 Email: info@assesstheneed.com Phone: 225-686-7278
ASSESS the NEED is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization operating under Federal Tax I.D.# 01-0561988.
