Collecting school supplies and money for Nampa students and teachers

By Jennifer Auh

CREATED Nov. 14, 2012

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  • Jennifer Auh reports on the Nampa School Foundation raising money and school supplies for Nampa students and teachers. Video by IdahoOnYourSide.com

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While the Nampa School District is struggling to figure out the $4.3 million shortfall in its budget, the community of Nampa is banding together to make sure their children don’t suffer the consequences.

On Wednesday, many local businesses and non-profit organizations worked to fill up a large school bus at the Nampa Civic Center with school supplies for Nampa students and teachers.

Leaders of the Nampa Schools Foundation said they don’t want the budget shortfall to affect their kids. Organizers said they basically need two things to make a difference, lots of school supplies and money.

"We all know that there's all sorts of controversy going on,” said Marie Baker with the Nampa Civic Center, “What we want to do is make sure they have the tools to do the job they need to do, both the teachers and the students."

The non-profit sparked a community wide effort along with local businesses to lessen the impact of the budget crisis for students and teachers.

According to the Nampa Schools Foundation, Nampa teachers were allocated $300 each to buy school supplies, but not this year.

Now volunteers told us they hope raise $270,000 for 900 classrooms, and they have a long way to go.

Right now, Nampa schools are in great need of printer cartridges.

The list of things students need the most, include:

1.            Composition notebooks - not  spiral
2.            Glue sticks
3.            White & Color copy paper
4.            Construction paper
5.            Expo Dry Erase Markers
6.            Loose-leaf paper
7.            Poster board - white & all colors
8.            Laminating Film 27" wide x 500 ft.
9.            Manila folders
10.          Sheet protectors - 8.5 x 11


"I was going shopping, took the list with me,” said Jeanette Quist, who donated school supplies, “I think Nampa is suffering because of what's going on."

Supply Our Students (SOS) is independent of the Nampa School District and aims to help fill the gap on school supplies that teachers and students face because of the shortfall.

Credit card donations can also be made to the nonprofit organization, Nampa Schools Foundation, on their website at supplyourstudents.com