Prescott eNews

Arizona Department of Transportation employees are working with businesses across the state collecting school supplies for low-income children. And they're challenging the public to get in on the action, too.

"Whether we're paving a new freeway with rubberized asphalt or producing a driver's license for a new resident, it's no secret that ADOT relies on the right supplies to get the job done," said ADOT Spokesman Bill Pederson. "The same is true for our state's future engineers, teachers and doctors. All children need the right school supplies to begin a successful year in the classroom. Those supplies make things easier for our educators, too."

That's why ADOT is joining forces with a number of Arizona businesses and agencies in the "Pack to School" drive. Pederson says their goal is to collect 6,600 backpacks and 200,000 school supply items to distribute through the Salvation Army to thousands of Arizona's children who qualify for free and reduced lunch.

"ADOT employees understand the importance and far-reaching effects of public service—it's a role we embrace every day in our work," said ADOT Director John Halikowski. "Giving back to our community also means helping our youngest community members get the solid start they need to excel in their studies. I encourage everyone to join ADOT and our partner agencies to donate to the Pack to School drive."

Pederson says ADOT is the only state agency participating in this year's Pack to School drive, and has consistently been one of the campaign's largest contributors since getting involved in 2003 when the Salvation Army started the program.

ADOT employees are collecting donated school supplies through Aug. 3, before handing them over to the Salvation Army to distribute to schools. Members of the public can drop off their donations at any Fry's Food and Drug Store, Mountainside Fitness, or Bank of Arizona location.

Anyone wishing to participate in the Pack to School drive is encouraged to pick up a few extra school supplies when out shopping for back-to-school items. The most needed items include: Backpacks; blunt scissors; calculators; colored markers; crayons; erasers; facial tissue; folders; glue sticks; loose-leaf /lined notebook paper; pencils (No. 2); pencil sharpeners; pens; rulers; spiral notebooks, and three-ring binders.

The Salvation Army will distribute the supplies to schools on Aug. 14. Supplies collected in each region will stay in that region.

For more information, contact the Southwest Chapter of the Salvation Army at (602) 267-4289 or click the following link: http://www1.usw.salvationarmy.org/usw/www_usw_southwest.nsf.