Leading up to the 2020 Thanksgiving holiday, Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Avondale, Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Avondale, and Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Avondale are hosting a three-week “Driven to Assist” school supply drive to help nearly 6,000 children in the Avondale Elementary School District go back to in-person learning equipped with the individual school supplies required for adherence with COVID-19 safety guidelines.
“When we learned of the need for individual school supplies for students attending schools within the Avondale Elementary School District, we jumped at the opportunity to help,” said Ana Games, Avondale controller, Larry H. Miller Dealerships. “Finding a need in the community and gathering together to fulfill the need is embedded in our company culture, but it’s also a part of who we are individually; our employees love contributing to the community by giving back.”
From November 9-30, Larry H. Miller Dealerships is asking employees and the public to help fill a vehicle in each of its three Avondale dealerships with school supplies. The most needed schoolsupplies include glue sticks, colored pens, pencils, highlighters, loose leaf paper, small covered pencil sharpeners, washable markers, pencil bags, composition books, calculators, Expo markers (low odor), hand sanitizer, and tissues.
The district, which educates children in K-8th grade, returned to in-person learning at 50 percent capacity in October, and teachers have been faced with the challenge of not enough school supplies. Children are no longer able to share their supplies, due to safety concerns around the spread of COVID-19.
“Avondale Elementary School District is grateful to Larry H. Miller for their support in ensuring we are able to provide class supplies to develop individual sets for children,” said Superintendent Dr. Betsy Hargrove. “Typically, we are able to share supplies such as crayons, markers, and scissors in classrooms and groups. This year, and with the concerns around COVID, all students are in need of individual sets to ensure safe use. As well, we have some students at home and others in the classroom and all students need to be able to have the supplies necessary to access the excellent instruction.”
The school supplies will be delivered to the district during the week of December 1.