Summer officially began just last week, but local nonprofits are already looking for donations to help make students and teachers classroom-ready during the coming school year.
“It seems like we just ended the school year, and we start asking for donations for school supplies, but summer is only about eight weeks long for many students now,” said Olivia Bruntmyer, Engagement Coordinator with Aviva Children’s Services. “In Vail, students go back to school in July, and we help students there as well, so we will do the actual collection of backpacks and school supplies through July 5 and then do our distribution from July 24 through 26.”
A subsidiary of the Easterseals Blake Foundation, Aviva fulfilled emergency needs for 4,266 children in foster and kinship care through the Arizona Department of Child Safety during 2023.
The nonprofit serves children from newborn to age 18.
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Bruntmyer emphasized that this fiscal year, Aviva has provided support to 93 kinship families — comprised of extended family members such as grandparents, aunts and uncles — who are caring for a foster child and may need extra assistance navigating the unfamiliar foster care system. As of last summer, 58% of children in Arizona foster care utilized kinship placements, according to the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
“What we know is that it is best for children to be with their families,” said Bruntmyer. “If they can’t be with mom or dad, then grandma or grandpa or an aunt or uncle or even mom’s bets friend are good options, but there are often financial constraints. If we can help with those monetary constraints so they can be with someone who they are comfortable with, there is a higher likeliness that they will be successful.”
In addition to backpacks and school supplies, families of students in foster care can also request uniforms, shoes and other basic necessities including hygiene kits, beds, clothing, diapers and more.
“This is for children who are currently in foster care. They must have an open court case. We have a resource list so if families don’t qualify for our services, we refer them to other community resources who can help. We work with closely with other providers that serve children in foster care and other stakeholders in the community,” said Bruntmyer.
She credited a dedicated force of volunteers — including a group known as the “Aviva Aunties” — for helping with everything from fundraising to drives for holiday toys and school supplies.
Vivian Leitel is one of the “Aviva Aunties,” and she said that her volunteerism is extremely rewarding.
“The gratitude that comes from the work Aviva does is amazing,” Leitel said. “The stories you hear about things that happen in families that need assistance will bring you to tears. Aviva always manages to pull through for them.”
Aviva’s gratitude for volunteers is equally incredible, according to Leitel.
“I love being an ‘Auntie.’ They treat us well and really appreciate us. The people here are a ton of fun and you know you are helping the community, but we have so much fun doing it,” she said.
Cindy Reardon agrees with that assessment.
She became an “Auntie” about four years ago, inspired by her brother, who had worked in children’s services in Ohio for many years.
“There’s never enough help for these kids and the more help is out there, the more positive outcomes they will see in the future,” said Reardon.
For her part, Reardon feels gratified to be able to give back to the community.
“You can’t take for granted what you have in life: There are people that don’t have that and if you have the opportunity to give back, it is a blessing. To me, the most needy are the children. We want to have them on the right track and this is the opportunity to help do that,” said Reardon.
Providing resources for teachers is another crucial element in directing children toward school success. Tucson Values Teachers seeks to accomplish that with the Tucson Supplies Teachers drive.
“The money that is given to Tucson Supplies Teachers goes directly into classrooms,” said Teresa Hill, CEO of Tucson Values Teachers. “By giving teachers the money to buy the necessary needs for their classrooms, the students benefit from the supplies. It should be a known fact that many teachers use their own funds to buy things that are needed for kids and this helps eliminate them having to pay out-of-pocket.”
The local nonprofit offers a variety of unique services designed to support teachers, including professional discounts, scholarships, monetary awards and industry-education partnerships. For the Tucson Supplies Teachers Campaign, teachers with public, private and charter schools can register for a chance to win a $100 gift card to spend at their choice of Jonathan’s Educational Resources, Treasures 4 Teachers of Tucson, or ODP Business Solutions.
“Last year when we gave the teachers gift cards, 71% of them came from schools that were eligible for Title 1 Federal grants, which are geared specifically for schools that have students with a rate of 40% or higher free or reduced lunches, so these students may need more support. These gift cards make a big impact,” said Hill.
Hill said that Tucson Supplies Teachers welcomes donations from both businesses and individuals and contributing is easy and convenient for donors and teachers alike. Donations of $100 qualify for “Adopt a Teacher” and business donations are recognized on social media.
“Physical donations have to be divided up and distributed and teachers get what they get,” Hill said. “The beauty of this is that it allows teachers to hone in on the needs in their classrooms and buy things that will most impact their students and student achievement.”
