School supplies given to Scott Air Force Base families

Technical Sgt. Kenneth Leitch and his wife, Allison, brought their three children to the Scott Air Force Base VFW to pick up school supplies for the upcoming school year.

Allison Leitch estimates she spends $50 to $60 per kid a year on school supplies. She usually buys, crayons, pencils among other things. This year, she’ll buy a ream of paper for the second-grade class of her son, Jackson.

So the Leitch family was among the families to line up on Sunday for help preparing for the school year.

“On top of the school fees we pay, I think it all helps,” Allison Leitch said.

Back 2 School Illinois partnered with Operation Homefront to provide school supplies for military families of Scott Air Force Base personnel.

The event had enough boxes for about 400 children. The kits all varied depending on age, but included markers, crayons, notebooks, loose leaf paper, scissors, pencils, erasers and glue. Youngsters in junior high and high school also received dictionaries and protractors.

This is the fourth time the school supply event has been held, said Darcy Clardy, executive director of Operation Homefront, an organization that provides financial and other assistance to families of service members.

Staff Sgt. Michael Fricke, and his wife, Mary, brought their five children, who range from 5 to 14 years old, to the distribution event.

This is the third time they’ve come to the event.

“It helps us tremendously,” Michael Fricke said. “With a family of five (kids) and a limited budget, it’s a great help.”

The kits are enough for the first few weeks of school, Michael Fricke said.

Mary Fricke estimates they spend about $150 to $200 for school supplies.

“But then we have to worry about the registration fees, getting them new shoes (and) new clothes,” Mary Fricke said.

The Frickes’ daughter, Autumn, who is going into the fourth grade, said markers are her favorite supply.

“Because we get to draw with them,” Autumn said.

Back 2 School Illinois primarily serves low-income families by ensuring students have the needed school supplies for the upcoming academic year.

In 2014, Back 2 School Illinois provided more than 850,000 school supplies to more than 28,000 underprivileged children. This year the organization hopes to provide 1 million school supplies to more than 33,000 children.

“Families that are struggling, particularly those in the lower income area, are struggling between things of paying the rent, do we pay our cable bill, or phone bill, or put food on the table,” said Matthew Kurtzman, CEO of Back 2 School Illinois.

“At the same time, we have to buy school supplies, and they’re juggling those things and having to make choices,” Kurtzman added. “A lot of times, school supplies lose out because the family has to keep the electricity on.”

The kits helped reduce the financial burden on families, Kurtzman said. He added being prepared for school also helps students’ self-esteem.

“Kids who go back to school with no school supplies ..., feel as if they’re less worthy,” Kurtzman said. “It just doesn’t put them in the right frame of mind to start school. By giving them the supplies, they feel like they’re ready to learn, especially if they’re looking at a classmate who might have school supplies.”

This story was originally published July 19, 2015 at 4:23 PM with the headline "School supplies given to Scott Air Force Base families."