Zakat Foundation of America is distributing school supplies all month long in its back-to-school campaign. The international humanitarian organization also distributes school supplies year-round to help students stay prepared for their classwork and homework, and it has been fervent about making sure students have the supplies they need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The charity has partnered with Carter G Woodson High School, where many of the North Carolina students receiving supplies attend. Principal Ben Harris has partnered with the organization numerous times to help kids throughout the pandemic.
Supplies include backpacks, pencils, sharpeners, loose-leaf paper, folders, notebooks, coloring books and other basic necessities for schoolwork. One high school volunteer in North Carolina even built hand-made desks for students during the pandemic. The organization also helped provide laptops to refugee children who otherwise wouldn’t have access.
The supplies don’t just help the students, though. Teachers often jump in to provide supplies to their students.
“I know firsthand how teachers help out of their own pockets,” said Nayma Kose, Zakat Foundation of America's outreach and community engagement manager. “It’s always good to make sure students don’t have to worry about having the supplies so they can focus on studying.”
The first key distribution this month, held Aug. 3, provided toys and snacks at the T A Grady Recreation Center in Durham. Morrisville Mayor TJ Cawley even attended, sharing pictures with County Commissioner Nida Allam as well as Zakat Foundation of America volunteers at the organization’s booth on Facebook.
“I enjoyed volunteering with Zakat Foundation of America at last night’s #NationalNightOut in Discover Durham to help foster positive community relationships,” Mayor Cawley wrote.
Days later, the organization helped provide more food in a Brunch Drive Thru for Bangladesh COVID Relief Fundraiser at its North Carolina community center, 5410 NC Highway 55 Suite AC in Durham.
The organization is holding several events throughout the month in the North Carolina area alone, but its back-to-school campaign is reaching all the regions in the United States where the organization works.