Nationwide Appraisal Network, Tampa, Fla., is collecting school supplies through Aug. 8 for local children who attend Dunedin Highland Middle School, which is located in a Florida county where 20% live in poverty and thousands of children live in foster care or are homeless.
In Pinellas County, more than 3,000 children are homeless, more than 2,000 live in foster care, 52% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, and
Cari Burris, co-founder and director of operations and finance for NAN, said in a press release she wants financially strapped students in the county that are part of her business community not to have to worry about supply costs so they can better focus on school.
Donations of any size are accepted and those donating more than $100 will be listed on cards for students found in backpacks the company is helping to collect and donate to them as well as through social media outlets.
Joni Pilgrim, co-founder and director of sales and marketing for the company, said it already has several corporate and individual sponsors and has a good chance of beating its goal to provide 30 students with backpacks and supplies.
Pilgrim said she would like to make the collection an annual event and double the goal to 60 next year.
Nationwide Appraisal Network’s 30 employees are participating in the charity drive and many have volunteered to shop for the backpacks and supplies on tax-free days to ensure as many supplies are purchased as possible.
Sponsors so far include Sons of American Legion Post 275 and the Ladies Auxiliary of American Legion Post 275 both of Dunedin, Pathway Consulting LLC, Sensible Micro Corp., Security 1 Lending and DigitalBrainz.
