As summer draws to a close each year and the first day of school approaches, parents begin to check off the list of necessary supplies for their children. Preparing for the school year can be daunting, especially for those who may be unable to acquire all the items vital to their children's education. Several organizations and members of the community have made it a primary goal to ensure students are well equipped for the fall. Among them is Solanco Neighborhood Ministries, which will host its annual backpack drive on Saturday, Aug. 13, at its main building at 355 Buck Road, Quarryville. The drive will be held at the back of the building, located in the same complex as the Quarryville Library Center.
Solanco Neighborhood Ministries has been serving the community with the backpack drive for over 10 years, among other projects aimed at meeting basic needs of local residents. At the drive, students will pick an empty backpack and fill it with school supplies. Binders, notebooks, pencils and many other materials required for classes will be made available along with fresh produce. In recent years, Solanco Neighborhood Ministries has partnered with a nearby Verizon store, which had previously run its own drive and will donate backpacks loaded with supplies again this year. The Quarryville Library has also donated an array of books for the cause. Last year, a record high of 256 backpacks were given out at the event.
Recipients can be anyone from pre-school to high school students. The drive is primarily focused on Solanco Neighborhood Ministries' service area; however, no one will be turned away. Any extra supplies that are left over will be donated to multiple schools in the area, including schools in Solanco, Penn Manor and Lampeter-Strasburg school districts.
Teresa Dolan, executive director of Solanco Neighborhood Ministries, spearheads the operation with her team of volunteers. The drive is one of several endeavors that fall in line with the organization's mission to meet the core needs of people in the community. "We work with families to get them the resources they require for food, housing, heat and any other basic needs," said Dolan. "Many people don't think of these things as health care, but it certainly is. Having your basic needs met is crucial to your overall well-being and mental health."
Dolan, a former professor at Lincoln University, first came across Solanco Neighborhood Ministries when researching community organizations. "When I discovered them, the last director had just left, and I was drawn to the position," she said. "I took a leap of faith and have been here going on nine years." Dolan also mentioned plans to expand into new ways of serving the area moving forward, including programs to aid with financial stability and job training while continuing the food bank.
The drive relies on donations, and organizers will be posting a list of needed items at http://www.solanconeighborhoodministries.org. Donations will be accepted at a drop-off behind the Buck Road location, and the last day to donate will be Monday, Aug. 8. For more information, contact Dolan at 717-786-4308 or office@snministries.org.
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