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Getting your kids prepared for school can be an expensive endeavor. Between buying clothes, shoes, a book bag and lunch box the costs can really add up. The buck doesn’t stop there though, many schools give parents a laundry list of school supplies they must get and with cuts to educational funding the list of supplies school can provide is getting shorter. The Kids in Need Foundation provides free school supplies to kids that cannot afford them.
The Kids in Need Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was formed in 1995. The program works on a national level providing free school supplies to students and teachers in need. The supplies are delivered through the Kids In Need Network of Resources Centers. The programs School Box program organizes the supply giveaway. Award grants are given to teachers who come up with innovative classroom projects.
Kids In Need Foundation is funded by a combination of financial donors and program sponsors. Companies can also donate to the program in the form of free supplies as well. Excess inventory, returned or slightly damaged products or outdated product can all be donated. Schools qualify when they have at least 70 percent of their student population on the federal free lunch program.
It is estimated that 13 million children in the United States live in poverty. A $500 donation to the Kids In Need Foundation provides $12,500 in supplies to those children. Interested parties can also volunteer their time to one of the foundation’s charity programs.
