Back to school, back to basics

As summer draws to a close and a new school year begins, many students and families are faced with the stress and expense of buying a long list of school supplies. According to the nonprofit Junior Achievement, nearly 60% of U.S. parents struggle to pay for school supplies. But thanks to a school supply donation drive in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the efforts of numerous volunteers, including employees from Hanson’s Corpus Christi office, students kicked off the school year on a positive note — complete with the supplies they need to succeed in school.

Operation Supply Our Students (Operation SOS), sponsored by United Way of the Coastal Bend, KRIS 6 News and H-E-B supermarkets, helps provide basic school supplies to Coastal Bend students. These supplies include crayons, folders, glue sticks, notebook paper, pencils, pens, rulers and scissors. According to the United Way of the Coastal Bend, more than 45,000 students in the Coastal Bend’s 10 counties need help getting basic school supplies.

Seventeen Hanson employees and their families volunteered to help the United Way and its partners fill more than 1,900 bags with school supplies for area students. People could purchase the bags for $6 each at select H-E-B stores and donate them back to Coastal Bend students. Grace Souder, EIT, an engineer intern in Hanson’s Corpus Christi office, organized the office’s participation in this event. “This is the first year that our office has been involved with the Operation SOS event. Thanks to my Hanson colleagues, we were able to volunteer with the United Way to help kids in our community and make a difference in the lives of others,” Souder said.