Come Sept. 6, the first day of school, Anthony Reeves will be ready to hit the books. That’s because the seventh-grade Coupeville Middle School student, who comes from a low-income family, will have all the school supplies he needs. He was among almost 200 other students to utilize Readiness To Learn Foundation’s annual Back-to-School program held in the South Whidbey Family Resource Center on the campus of the elementary school.

In its 16th year, the program  helps provide school supplies for low-income families around South Whidbey.

Families who qualify sign up by appointment and are given a chance to peruse aisles full of items like backpacks, pencils, crayons, notebooks and dozens of others.

Executive Director Gail LaVassar said the program had helped 183 students as of Wednesday afternoon. The supplies will remain accessible for additional students after school starts. The total number helped will reach around 250, LaVassar said. The foundation typically spends between $15,000 and $20,000 on supplies, while the rest comes from South Whidbey businesses and non-profits, such as Webb’s Department Store and Good Cheer, as well as anonymous donors.

LaVassar said the program takes the worry away from parents who have trouble paying the bills while ensuring their kids have the necessary supplies to be successful in school. She also said that while supplies have been in danger of running out in the past, the community was especially helpful this year and that it won’t be an issue.

“This program allows people to use their resources to do things like pay their electric bill or their rent,” LaVassar said. “A lot of parents want to do the best they can for their kids, so they’ll spend the needed money on supplies if they don’t know about something like this and maybe skip a bill and get in trouble with rent or a basic need.”

Sue Reeves can personally attest to this. She said that if the program didn’t exist, sacrifices would have to be made at home.

“It would be tough,” said Reeves, a Greenbank resident. “I tell my friends how helpful it is.”

Reeves, a 1970 graduate of Langley High School, said her oldest son, who is 44, did not have access to the program when he was growing up. At the time, Reeves had three children and had trouble making ends meet while buying the school supplies they needed.

“That first month was about finding school clothes and the stuff that they needed,” Reeves said. “It made it really difficult. Am I paying a bill or not paying a bill?”

She said one of the most important aspects of the program is that students don’t feel left out or inferior.

“It helps to send them off to school the right way,” Reeves said.

Reeves’ daughter, 20-year-old Freeland resident Brittani Bryant, said she’s utilized the service for years. Now a mother of three herself, Bryant is making sure her kids are afforded the same opportunities.

“My mom has been taking me here my whole life,” Bryant said. “Now I’m taking my kids here because my son is starting second grade.”

Bryant said her family is able to get pretty much everything they need for school, including backpacks and pencils. She said the program is especially important for low-income families who may otherwise not have the ability to afford all of the necessary school supplies. Pencil pouches were always a favorite item for Bryant.

“I have three [kids],” Bryant said. “It’s a good program to be in because then they’ll be in it when they’re older and it’s for the whole time being in school.”

Anthony Reeves, Bryant’s brother, was among the many enthusiastic children to utilize the program over the past two weeks. He was especially excited to get a backpack, as well as other supplies like pencils and binders.

“I like it,” he said.

Foundation Family Support Advocate Mary Mitchell said the program’s diverse selection of supplies allows children to pick from a wide variety of items. Backpacks were especially popular, she said. Webb’s Department Store donated 150 Jansport backpacks while Good Cheer gave every child a shopping certificate for one bag of clothes.

“I think the nicest thing about this program is that we have such an amazing selection of backpacks to choose from,” Mitchell said. “It’s really exciting for the kids to come in and say, ‘Wow!’ It’s not that you’re getting stuck with a blue backpack because you’re a boy.”

“It’s a happiness that they get to choose their own and not be stuck with something,” she added.

Back to class

The first day of school is Sept. 6. Students will have early release hours on the first two days of school. Early release times and bus routes are available on the district’s homepage, at www.sw.wednet.edu. Students should be at their bus stop 5 minutes early. All stops are also tentative, pending the loading factor. Contact the transportation department phone at 360-221-5209 for additional questions.