Student support project donations due by Aug. 16

As the summer progresses and stores begin to advertise back-to-school items, Northrop Realty sales agent Robin Palumbo Thompson is seeking contributions for her student support project to benefit the Howard T. Ennis School in the Indian River School District, as well as schools in the Cape Henlopen School District.

"So many local children need help to be successful at school," said Palumbo Thompson. "Yet many of the items needed are small and easy to buy. When you go to the store yourself, please buy two of an item and donate one. That will make a huge difference to a local school child. I love giving back to the community, especially this time of year when I can help children in the area and ease a parent's worry about providing what is needed for their child's success for the upcoming school year.”

She categorized lists of items needed to make shopping easier:

• Clothing and personal care: athletic shorts (navy blue) and T-shirts (gray) in sizes small, medium, large, extra-large, extra-extra-large; socks (youth and adult sizes for boys and girls); underwear (for males and females, various sizes, dark colors); toothpaste and toothbrushes; deodorant; female hygiene products; and soap (liquid and bar).

• School supplies: 1-, 1.5- and 2-inch three-ring binders with inside pockets and clear-view cover; clear page dividers; five- and eight-tab page dividers; paper and plastic pocket folders; looseleaf paper (wide-ruled, with and without punched holes); spiral notebooks (wide-ruled); spiral notebooks (college-ruled); composition notebooks (wide-ruled); graph paper; pens (blue, black, erasable); No. 2 wood pencils (sharpened, with erasers); packages of cap erasers; markers; colored pencils; Crayola Crayons (no jumbo); highlighters; EXPO dry-erase markers; Sharpite (broad/chisel tip); gluesticks; scissors (5-inch, rounded); rulers; 3-x-5 index cards; earbuds or headphones for iPhones; school supply or pencil boxes; zippered pouches for three-ring binders; backpacks for books (no wheels); flash drives; and iPad chargers.

"I’d like to have items by Wednesday, Aug. 16, and they can be delivered to our office located at 18467 Coastal Highway, Suite 102, Lewes. All the supplies will be delivered to the district office before the start of school, and the officials there will distribute to the children,” said Palumbo Thompson.