Kids on Base Ready for School Year

Cpl. Jennifer Pirante, 1st Marine Logistics Group

Family readiness officers with the 1st Marine Logistics Group and Marine Corps Community Services coordinated a free school supply give-away on base, Monday, just in time for the upcoming school year. 

The school supplies were donated and collected from local Dollar Tree stores, which partner with Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency financial and other assistance to families of service members and wounded warriors.

“Usually, we’ve done this as a [Combat Logistics Regiment 15] give-away, and then some of the other FROs have done their own,” said Kristy Harris, family readiness officer for CLR-15 and 1st MLG (Forward). “This year, we just decided to do it as MLG. Everyone put their resources together instead of doing multiple.”

Family readiness officers designated two days, Aug. 6 and Aug. 13, to allow families to collect the supplies. Students arrived with empty backpacks to fill with brand new lined paper, notepads, book covers, stickers, erasers, pens, pencils, markers, rulers, calculators, glue and every other basic supply a student might need for the upcoming school year.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to get them excited to go to school with their supplies and let them be a part of picking out what they need,” said Marybeth Wiener. “I think it’s great that the community reaches out.”

More than 150 families showed up to collect the school supplies. Volunteers assisted some families with as many as five children enrolled in school. Many family households consist of a service member who is either deployed or about to deploy.

“I think it’s a great thing to do for the families,” Wiener said. “Anything to help is much appreciated.”

More than ten volunteers helped organize and hand out the supplies. Among the volunteers were Marines, sailors and family members.