Help Local Students

Do you remember back-to-school shopping when you were a kid? Searching for the perfect unicorn Trapper Keeper (are those still a thing?), the mega box of crayons, or the coolest erasers was (and still is) an exciting late-summer activity for many school-aged kids. But the harsh reality is that far too many families are struggling with income inequality and housing instability to have that experience.

To help relieve the burden of purchasing school supplies that some local families face, PEMCO Insurance is partnering with South Lake Union businesses in its annual Supply Surge drive. Last year’s campaign directly benefited local elementary schools, and this year PEMCO’s Supply Surge donations will go to ten Seattle-area middle and high schools. Middle schools include Aki Kurose, David T. Denny International, Edmond S. Meany, Jane Addams, and Washington Middle School. High schools include Alan T. Sugiyama, Chief Sealth International, Franklin, Nathan Hale, and Rainier Beach.

To select participating schools, PEMCO partners with local school district homeless student programs and uses the Diversity Report from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to source data on the number of students per school who are experiencing homelessness, whose families struggle financially and how many students are a part of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community. This data helps determine where the current need is greatest.

If you’d like to help, consider donating via the Supply Surge website. Think items like composition notebooks, erasers, backpacks, and more.

Supply Surge begins on Monday, July 19 and runs through Friday, August 6.