Schools

Group Equips St. Louis-Area Students for School

KidSmart's Push for Pencils campaign runs through Aug. 31.

KidSmart's Push for Pencils campaign is in full swing this month: The storefront operation in Bridgeton has been providing an array of school supplies for children in need for the past nine years.

The mission is to ensure that children and their classrooms in the St. Louis metro area have the basic tools for learning by transferring, at no cost, the community's surplus supplies and merchandise into the hands of teachers for school children in need.

The school year begins this month for numerous districts in St. Louis, including both the and the on Wednesday.

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“We collect everything kids need in the way of supplies and distribute them through our schools with the most need, free of charge,” Jessica Dowell, the store's manager, said. 

“For the very first time in nine years, we are able to provide supplies for all of our 90,000-plus children of need in the bi-state community,” she said.

There are three types of schools served by KidSmart:

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  • Enrolled: KidSmart has just enough storage space to collect and distribute supplies to 110 schools on its enrolled list. Teachers can come in and shop for free for items, one time per month.
  • 100 Percent Club: This is a list of schools where at least 70 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Teachers on this list are able to shop KidSmart four times per month.
  • Volunteer to Shop: This is a group of schools with needs not quite as great as those on the enrolled poverty list. This group shops when extra supplies become available.


Nearly 150 businesses and schools throughout St. Louis are benefactors of KidSmart. These groups donate both cash and supplies to build up the donation inventory annually.

Not too far from Clayton is Old Bonhomme Elementary School, located in the Ladue School District. It is one of the official collection points for the annual drive.

While the drive runs through Aug. 31, cash or in-kind donations will always be gladly accepted.

“The need is greater than ever. We would love to expand our list, but we have run out of storage space here (in Bridgeton). We cannot store any more items presently,” Dowell said.

Teachers who shop KidSmart are encouraged to turn around and give volunteer items in the store. KidSmart needs help with sorting and stocking the items, and serving teachers on the display floor.

Frequently donated items include binders, scissors, rulers and yardsticks, glue, paint, markers, pens and pencils. Nothing of value is turned away.

“When a teacher comes here, they leave with an average of $650 worth of school supplies,” Dowell said.

In many cases, without the annual generosity of KidSmart, thousands of children would return to school with inadequate supplies.


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