The idea for the project came from the CEO of Comtech Direct Mail Solutions. Michael Morrison saw a boy at his son’s school bringing his supplies in a pillowcase. Since then, Comtech has paired up with Panera Bread and other local organizations to consolidate their school supply drives.
Morrison also was encouraged to create the drive after learning that nine out of 10 students in the Oklahoma City district live at or below the poverty line.
All donated supplies will be taken to the Teachers Warehouse for distribution to various OKC schools. Since the Teachers Warehouse was created in 2008, it has distributed more than $700,000 in supplies. District teachers can place an online order once a month for items that students and classrooms need.
Team Up OKC is held through Nov. 15 because the warehouse’s supplies are usually running low and because school supplies are marked down in stores this month.
Needed materials include:
• copy paper;
• lined paper;
• folders;
• pens; and
• rubber bands.
Sponsors include American Cleaners, Bank of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Gazette, Panera Bread, SportClips, Ideal Homes, Comtech, FAA Credit Union, Oklahoma Employees Credit Union and T&S Web Design.
“This is a drive like no other,” Morrison said. “It’s just the community coming together.”
For more information, visit TeamUpOKC.com.
This article appears in Oct 26 – Nov 1, 2011.