ELDRED TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Backpacks, pens, pencils and more fill the tables inside a room at the Eldred Township Community Center.
The West End Food Pantry is once again collecting school supplies to give to hundreds of students whose families visit the pantry.
"Each teacher has like a different supply list and it's a lot," said Isabella Rios, Kunkletown.
Pantry director, Karena Thek, says these supplies will go to students within the Pleasant Valley School District in Monroe County and Palmerton School District in Carbon County.
More than 300 students are on this years list.
"Sometimes kids, for that first day of school, they need a little confidence booster. I remember picking a book bag, a brand new book bag and it was the excitement of the year. So here we are collecting brand new book bags for pantry kids that might go without, plus then some of the basic supplies to get them to start the school year off right," said Karena Thek, West End Food Pantry.
As you can see there is a lot here but more is still needed...like folders, one subject notebooks and erasers.
"The kids get to come in here and shop for their supplies, pick what they want and the colors that they love and walk away with the basic necessities to start the school year," said Thek.
The supplies are free to the students.
People who use the pantry say donations like these take the stress off of low income families.
"It's very important especially when parents just don't have it to buy everything that the school can't supply so the kids will greatly benefit from it," said Lori Smith, Kunkletown.
You can drop school supplies off at the Eldred Township Community Center through August 17th.
Distribution day is scheduled for August 18th.