Schools

Church Collecting School Supplies for Needy Valley View Students

About 250 children attending Valley View schools classify as homeless and attend school with virtually nothing.

Written by Erin Sauder

When members of Bible Baptist Church decided to host a school supply drive for needy Valley View School District 365U students, they were surprised at just how great the need is.

“We were shocked to find out that just in kindergarten through fifth grade there are something like 250 children they classify as homeless,” said Bible Baptist Church pastor Jason Stover. “We had no idea. That means many of them live or have lived in a shelter or their homes have been foreclosed upon and they’re living in the basement of a relative or friend. And that they’re going to school with nothing.”

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To meet the need, the church is participating in the BackPack Attack Campaign, where they will collect new school supplies and put them all in backpacks which will then be given out to the students.

The community is invited to help aid in the effort. School supply lists and for each grade are listed on the church’s website. 

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Supplies and backpacks are due by Thursday, Aug. 1. The backpacks will then be taken to Valley View where they will be distributed.

“The only fun thing at school for me was the first day when you get to wear your new clothes and you have your new backpack and supplies,” Stover said. “Right now, there are 250 children that aren’t going to have any of that.”

He would like to see all of the 250 underprivileged Valley View students get a new backpack and school supplies.

“That would be fantastic,” he said.

He anticipates Bible Baptist Church of Romeoville will alone be able to fill at least 100.

“So if there was some bigger outpouring that would be awesome,” Stover said. “This is our first year doing it so we don’t know what to expect. But we’ve gotten a pretty good response by our church.”

For more information about the Backpack Attack initiative, call the church office at (815) 886-5618.


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