MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas — A school supply drive is underway in McLennan County and it's all part of a bigger campaign to help local school districts this year.
Prosper Waco put together a city-wide campaign called Support Safe Schools. Hermann Pereira the education and workforce specialist at Propser Waco said they wanted to come up with a way to give back to schools.
"We know they're working so hard and just working around the clock preparing to open their doors in these uncertain times and so this is a small gesture on the community's behalf," Pereira said.
The first wave of the campaign is a school supply drive that began late July.
Waco City Council member Hector Sabido is also involved with the project. He said Waco is a selfless community and it's time for those who can help to step up.
Anyone can drop off school supplies at any of the Waco fire stations or donate money to the Waco Foundation.
"It is a bigger effect that we're seeing this year versus other years, you know there have been many parents in our community that have been laid off," Sabido said. "We have many parents that maybe don't work as many hours as they used to because of COVID, and so things are a little bit tight right now and money is a little bit tight."
The second wave of the campaign is to have more substitute teachers to assist in case a teacher is out.
"With COVID, it's going to make schools be a little bit different when they open their doors, and they're going to need substitute teachers to step in when people have to go down for maybe possibly being ill," Pereira said.
In the meantime, they want to collect as many school supplies as possible and donations to distribute to Waco ISD, La Vega ISD, and Connally ISD.
"Waco is always looking out for each other and this is just another great way of Waco showing the community that everyone is important and that we all want to do our part to help our neighbor," Sabido said.
Drop off locations at any Waco Fire Station until August 14 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
You can donate money to help with their mission by visiting their website.