WRAL-TV and Communities In Schools Launch 3rd Annual School Stuff Campaign

For the third year, WRAL-TV has partnered with Communities In Schools to collect school supplies for students who need them. School Stuff, part of WRAL's For the Children campaign, began Thursday, July 1, 2004, when collection barrels began appearing in participating The UPS Store locations in Wake, Orange, Durham, Johnston, Harnett, Cumberland, Wayne, Halifax, Nash, Lee, Moore and Wilson counties.

For the entire month of July, WRAL and Communities In Schools are asking the public to donate new school supplies including binders, notebooks, pens, pencils, paper and folders to help prepare a child for the school year.

CIS coordinators chat with representatives from The UPS Stores, one of the School Stuff sponsors.

"Many students in our community don't have the means to buy the school supplies they need. In many cases, teachers end up buying these supplies. With the School Stuff campaign, we hope to relieve teachers of this burden and give students the tools they need to be successful in the classroom," said Mike Stephens, Executive Director of Communities In Schools of North Carolina.

Anyone who would like more information about drop-off locations and suggested school supplies can go to WRAL.com and click on WRAL Info. Anyone interested in receiving school supplies should contact Communities In Schools of North Carolina at (919) 832-2700 or call toll free at 1-800-849-8881.

WRAL-TV Reporter Gloria Lopez (center) interviews Mike Stephens, Executive Director of Communities in Schools NC, as WRAL-TV's Courtney Davis runs the camera.

Director of CIS of Wayne County Sudie Davis (left) & of Lee County Holly Ann Rogers both attended the School Stuff Kick-off breakfast at WRAL-TV.

WRAL-TV and Communities In Schools of North Carolina thank community partners The UPS Store and WakeMed for their support of this project. Also, special thanks extended to Metro Productions for their in-kind support.

Communities In Schools connects needed community resources with schools to help students stay in school, learn needed skills and prepare to become productive citizens. CIS programs include mentoring, health care and prevention programs, internships, after school programs and community service.

Thanks to WRAL-TV's Cindy Sink for this capcom story & to WRAL-TV's Loretta Harper for these capcom photos.

POSTED: July 6, 2004