Low Income Students Receive Much Needed School Supplies

Just because school has begun for the year, it doesn't mean that all of the 34,274 students in Savannah-Chatham Schools have the supplies they need to succeed this year.

About 65% of the district's students receive free or reduced lunch. That just goes to show how many families are living in need. At Spencer Elementary School, located off of Wheaton Street and Waters Avenue, 94% of the students there are living in poverty. The school's principal, Andrea Williams, tells me that some of the children are homeless and their parents can't afford uniforms or supplies. That's why donations of supplies are so helpful.

Spencer Elementary kindergarten students stand excited for the delivery of donated school supplies. The supplies are much needed for the nearly 400 little ones here.

"We have many children who are homeless. We have with the economic situations, we have just a lot of parents who just are needy, so we really, really needed these supplies so we cannot wait to give them out to the children. I mean it's just like a holiday,” says Spencer Elementary principal, Andrea Williams, with excitement.

And while they’re just 5 or 6, they know what they need.

"Pencils, crayons, markers, and paper,” lists Spencer kindergartener, Karena Hamilton.

“I'm gonna use it in the class,” adds classmate, Annalissa Anthony.

The van from St. Joseph's/Candler arrives and box upon box is unloaded. Dozens of kindergarten students stand watching.

"We're so excited,” says Annalissa.

“All of the co-workers at St. Joseph's/Candler collected school supplies all summer long, so everybody had a piece in the smiles that we saw today. It was very rewarding to see our mission carried on to this community,” explains Barbara Gatens, of St. Joseph’s/Candler’s Angels of Mercy program.

All of the book bags, paper and pencils donated to the hundreds of students at Spencer Elementary School will make a world of difference this school year. It's what they need to succeed.

"To be able to help a little bit and to improve their education in this community was so rewarding,” adds Gatens.

"We could write our name or our ABC’s,” continues Annalissa.

Or a simple message to the folks making that possible.

I wanna say thank you,” she says.

Students at Garrison Elementary School, on the city's west side, also received more than $3,000 worth of school supplies, while middle school students at Hubert were also given supplies collected through the St. Joseph's/Candler Angels of Mercy program.

The 11-year program is in memory of two co-workers, Danny Brown and Gail Jones.