Tools for School brings together community agencies, educational institutions, corporate supporters, the general public and the media for the purpose of a common goal – to provide backpacks filled with school supplies for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12 whose families have limited resources. In some areas of the Capital Region the need for backpacks filled with school supplies is as high as three in 10 students.
Tools for School works under the collaboration of a volunteer advisory committee which consists of at least one representative from each of the 13 participating school divisions. Planning and coordination for the program is on-going year round. Over the past 16 years the program has maintained distribution to four standardized grade categories (Kindergarten – Grade 2, Grade 3 – Grade 6, Junior High and Senior High) with a list of school supplies compatible with all 13 participating school divisions in the Alberta Capital Region. For the start of the 2011 school year, over 12,118 school kits were discreetly and respectfully distributed to students in need.
Download the 2011 Tools for School Summary
Make a Donation of Supplies
The annual Tools for School campaign which encourages the community at large to make contributions in support of the program runs from July through September. Donations can be made at the following locations:
- Staples (all locations)
- Citytv
- The Edmonton Sun
- K-97, 96.3 Capital FM, 790 CFCW (located in West Edmonton Mall)
- Northgate Centre
- Sherwood Park Mall
- Shippers Supply
- United Way
- Westmount Centre
Participate in a Day of Caring
Grade appropriate supplies are packaged into backpacks by groups of volunteers during a 3 hour session called a Day of Caring at United Way’s InKind Exchange. In order to have all the school kits ready for students to receive by the first day of school, volunteer groups must begin building the school kits many months prior. Volunteer groups may be made up of employees from a local company, students, or members of community organizations such as a church, sports team or a Rotary Club.
In 2010, 32 groups with an average of 10 people per group, participated in a Day of Caring. This equates to about 320 volunteers over a 4 month period volunteering 960 hours (or 132 work days worth or work) towards the Tools for School program.
Make a Monetary Donation
Dollars donated to the Tools for School program are used to purchase program approved school supplies when the need is not met through product donations. Cheques should be made payable to ‘United Way of the Alberta Capital Region’ indicating Tools for School in the memo line. Monetary donation can be can be dropped off at or mailed to: United Way of the Alberta Capital Region, 15132 Stony Plain Road, Edmonton, AB. T5P 3Y3.
Get Started
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
- Start collecting donations; or
- Volunteer for Tools for School
For information about how to receive supplies, contact your child’s school (principal or administrative assistant) at the time of registration. For more information dial 211 in Edmonton (or 482-INFO outside of Edmonton).
