Thompson Education Foundation Equips Families for Back-to-School

A Community Effort to Ensure Every Student Has the Tools They Need

Thompson Valley Emergency Medical Services Lt. Tara Wingate understands the struggle of starting a school year without essential supplies. That’s why she is now working to ensure that no student in the Thompson School District faces the same challenge. Through her involvement with the Thompson Education Foundation’s (TEF) Help Kids Succeed program, Wingate and others are making a real difference in the lives of local families.

On a recent Wednesday, Wingate and a group of her TVEMS colleagues joined 70 volunteers at Peakview Academy in Loveland, filling backpacks and sorting kits for the program. This annual event provides free school supplies to students in need, ensuring they have everything they need to succeed in the classroom.

Jason Aluague and co-worker Kate Brice were among the volunteers, working through their employer, Haynie & Company. Aluague wore a backpack on his chest as he and Brice filled it with supplies. “It really means a lot to me to be a part of this,” Aluague said during a break from the task. “I was one of those students who didn’t have anything.”

The effort resulted in 1,400 backpacks or kits being filled, representing roughly 10% of the district’s student population. Each kit is tailored to the grade level of the student, ensuring that all essential supplies are included. For example, elementary students receive crayons and glue sticks, while high school students get composition notebooks and three-ring binders. Middle school students receive a mix of both, requiring careful attention to ensure they get the right combination of supplies.

Kim Akeley-Charron, the TEF Executive Director, has been overseeing the program for 14 years. She explained that middle school students often need a blend of tools, including markers, colored pencils, and other craft supplies. “They need a lot of the high school tools, but they also need some of the craft-type tools,” she said. “So they’re also getting markers and colored pencils and those kinds of things.”

The program costs approximately $34,000 annually, which translates to about $25 to $30 per kit. To cover these expenses, the nonprofit relies on corporate sponsors and individual donors throughout the year. “This program is really about community,” Akeley-Charron said. “The Foundation doesn’t have a big well of money in reserve for this program. This is paid for every year by the community.”

To keep costs manageable and maintain consistency, the foundation purchases all supplies in bulk from Educational Products, Inc. (EPI), a school supply wholesaler. Direct donations of supplies are not accepted, partly because there is no place to store them, and partly because uniform kits ensure fairness for all students.

“We don’t allow our business sponsors to provide us with branded pencils or anything like that,” Akeley-Charron explained. “These are all generic, like you’d find at Target or Walmart or any place else. We want everything to be equitable.”

The volunteers spent around two hours completing their task, but the final step comes on Thursday, when the completed backpacks and kits are delivered to schools across the district. Families with children at multiple schools will need to visit each site to collect their supplies.

Wingate and her colleagues will be among the delivery drivers, using an ambulance and truck to handle larger deliveries. Their participation is part of the TVEMS “Helping Hands” initiative, which encourages staff to engage in community service projects.

For Wingate, the backpack drive was a key reason she wanted to start the initiative. “I wasn’t able to benefit from a program like this,” she said. “But when I learned about it, I really wanted us to participate. This is amazing.”

Those interested in learning more about the TEF’s Help Kids Succeed program or making a donation can visit thompsontef.org/help-kids-succeed. Community members can also support the Scheer Student Opportunity Fund through the annual peach sale, which runs through August 1, or by signing up for the Aug. 8 golf tournament at Mariana Butte.