How To Support School Supply Drives For Alexandria Students

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As August approaches, parents start to think about the school supplies their kids need for the new school year. According to the National Retail Foundation's 2019 Back-to-School survey, K-12 families spend an average $117.49 on school supplies such as notebooks, pencils, backpacks and lunch boxes. That's on top of expenses like clothes and electronics.

Purchasing all required items on a school supply list can be a hardship for families with tight budgets. That's why Alexandria City Public Schools, community partners and businesses hold school supply drives every summer. This year, there are plentiful opportunities to donate.

If your community group or business is hosting a drive, email Emily.Leayman@patch.com, and we'll add it to the list.

Alexandria City Public Schools drive

ACPS and its partners are holding a school supply drive through Aug. 14. The district aims to collect 2,000 supply-filled backpacks through the drive.

Residents can drop off backpacks, supplies or both at various collection sites. To see school supply lists for each grade, click here.

Here are the drop-off sites:

• ACPS Central Office, 1340 Braddock Place
• T.C. Williams High School, 3330 King St., Main Office
• Discovery Time Learning Center, 1509 Leslie Ave.
• Grace Episcopal Church, 3601 Russell Rd.
• Dairy Godmother, 2310 Mount Vernon Ave.
• Alexandria Bar Association, 520 King St., Suite 202
• Braddock Place, Condominium—1200 Braddock Place
• John Marshall Bank, 640 Franklin St.
• McEnearney Associates, 109 S. Pitt St.
• Meridian at Braddock – Apartments, 1200 First St.
• MPR Associates, Inc., 320 King St.
• Penny Post, 1201 King St.
• Red Barn Mercantile, 1117 King St.
• West Elm, 925 N St. Asaph St.
• CommonWealth One Federal Credit Union, 4875 Eisenhower Ave.
• Place One Condominium, 5500 Holmes Run Parkway
• The Sentinel of Landmark Condominium, 6300 Stevenson Ave.
• Tempo Restaurant, 4231 Duke St.
• Whitestone at Landmark Apartments, 250 S. Whiting St.
• Barrett Branch, 717 Queen St.
• Beatley Branch, 5005 Duke St.
• Burke Branch, 4701 Seminary Rd.
• Duncan Branch, 2501 Commonwealth Ave.
• Burke & Herbert Bank Carlyle, 1775 Jamieson Ave.
• Burke & Herbert Bank Fairlington, 1705 Fern St.
• Burke & Herbert Bank King Street, 621 King St.
• Burke & Herbert Bank Landmark, 155 N Paxton St.
• Burke & Herbert Bank Main Office, 100 S Fairfax St.
• Burke & Herbert Bank Monroe Ave, 306 E Monroe Ave.
• Navy Federal Credit Union, Potomac Yard, 3725-A Jefferson Davis Hwy
• Navy Federal Credit Union, Crystal City, 2450 Crystal Dr, Arlington
• Bright Horizons @ Inova, 2501 Parkers Lane
• Congregation Agudas Achim, 2908 Valley Dr.
• DASH, 3000 Business Center Drive
• State Farm, 1705 Centre Plaza

Democracy Federal Credit Union drive

Democracy Federal Credit Union is collecting school supplies during the entire month of August. School supplies or monetary donations will benefit the underserved areas of the community. This year's drive supports students of Jefferson-Houston Elementary School in Alexandria; Amidon-Bowen Elementary School and H.D. Woodson High School in DC; and Suitland Elementary School in Suitland, Maryland.

Anyone can drop off new, unopened school supplies into the school bus bin inside the branches, and monetary donations can be made at teller windows. Students’ and teachers’ wish list items include basic school supplies like wide or college ruled notebooks, #2 pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, markers, pocket folders, erasers, hand sanitizer, Kleenex and rulers.

Here are nearby Democracy FCU locations:

• 400 N Columbus Street, Suite 204, Alexandria, VA 22314
• 5107 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041
• 20001, 901 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
• 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201

St. Vincent de Paul Society at Basilica of Saint Mary drive

The Basilica of Saint Mary St. Vincent de Paul Society is partnering with Catholic Charities to provide 200 backpacks with supplies and a gift card for a new pair of shoes. You can make a donation by writing a check to St. Vincent de Paul Society mailed to the Basilica of Saint Mary main office at 313 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.