Aug 26, 2024 School Supplies Are Essential To Social Impact
School supplies are essential to a child’s educational experience. Integrating them into social impact programs significantly boosts educational equity and success. Providing school supplies ensures that all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status, begin the school year equipped and ready to learn effectively.
Equipping students with necessary school supplies alleviates stress for families, removing the financial burden from parents and fostering a supportive educational environment for students.
The emphasis on school supplies as a major social impact initiative is crucial, not only for enabling full participation in education but also for reducing a major expense that enhances life quality.
Annually, families decide on essential items for their children, including basic writing tools, backpacks, clothes, and increasingly, electronic devices. “According to Capital One Shopping, the average family spent $890 on back-to-school items in 2023, and this expense is projected to increase to $918 in the current year1.” Additionally, data reveals that school supplies alone cost an average of $597 per child in K-12, with more than 96% of these families allocating part of their budget to these essentials. This represents a substantial financial challenge, particularly for families in affordable housing with multiple children2.
The Kairos Impact Foundation is dedicated to mitigating these significant expenses. By covering costs such as school supplies, the Foundation helps reduce financial stress for families, ensuring students are well-prepared for their studies.
Our school supply program is designed to create a significant, enduring impact on students’ lives. It’s a vital aspect of our social initiatives, aimed at promoting educational success, aiding families toward economic stability and improving community well-being.
The Back-to-School program is one of the Foundation’s core initiatives. Learn more about our programs and our mission on our homepage, KairosImpact.org.
Pictured above: The Rickard Family, who live in Utah, have two school-aged children. We’re thrilled to support our residents by providing the essential supplies they need to start the school year off right.
1 Capital One Shopping, Annual Spending Report (Capital One, 2023), p. 15.
2 National Retail Federation, “Back-to-School Spending Expected to Reach Record Levels,” accessed May 28, 2024, https://nrf.com/back-to-school-spending-2024.
