District 5 Councilor Karen Gilbert and Administrative Chief Jeremy Moore announced a new partnership this afternoon at the City Council Public Works Committee meeting. The Tulsa City Council and the Tulsa Fire Department are hosting a school supply drive to benefit Tulsa Public Schools starting Wednesday.
Families spend about $600 on average each year on school supplies, including the cost of back-to-school clothes, according to a study by the National Retail Federation. Gilbert said the City Council and the Fire Department are trying to help ease the burden.
“Some families are feeling the financial squeeze right now with school year starting up,” said Gilbert. “Not only are they having to go school supply shopping, but also all middle schools and high schools are going to full uniforms.”
Gilbert said the drive will collect “everything from binders to crayons.”
“This is just our way of helping out families so they have a positive start to the school year,” Gilbert said. “We hope to have support from all over the city.”
New supplies and gently-used backpacks can be dropped off at any of the thirty City of Tulsa fire stations August 1 through August 10. Tulsa Public Schools will be responsible for distributing supplies to students.