By Staff
A BIG CHECK Betty Lou Jones, left, chairman of the board of United Way of East Mississippi, watches Becky Lewis, program director of the Riley Foundation, as she hands Louis Sutton, president and chief professional officer of the local United Way, a check for $10,000 for Supply Our Students program, which provides school supplies for children of low-income families. Photo by Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star
By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Aug. 5, 2003
More local students who otherwise would not be able to afford school supplies will be helped this year through the United Way of East Mississippi's SOS program.
SOS, formally called Supply Our Students and now in its fourth year, received a $10,000 boost Monday from the Riley Foundation. SOS provides basic schools supplies to low-income students.
Louis Sutton, president and chief professional officer for the local United Way chapter, said students will appreciate the help. He said making supplies available to low-income students saves money for teachers, who often buy supplies for students out of their own pockets.
He also said providing supplies for students is a self-esteem issue.
Nell Grissom, executive director of the Wesley House Community Center, one of the SOS pick-up sites, said she has had calls for at least six weeks from families wanting to know how they could get school supplies that they couldn't afford to buy.
Ricky Hood, executive director of the East Mississippi Boys &Girls Club, another SOS pick-up site, said students cannot function without the basic tools they need such as paper and pencils.