Let’s create 100 school kits for Lutheran World Relief again this summer/fall! A basket will be available in the narthex starting in August for you to bring in school supplies. Then in September we will assemble them to share with children around the world. None of these should have a religious symbol, US flag or patriotic symbol.

Back-to-School Shopping List

__ 70-sheet notebooks of wide- or college-ruled paper, approximately 8” x 10 ½”; NO loose leaf paper. This is our TOP priority item, as four go into each kit. Sharon recommends Target or Fred Meyer.

__ 30-centimeter rulers, or a ruler with centimeters on one side and inches on the other

__ Pencil sharpeners

__ Pairs of blunt scissors (safety scissors with embedded steel blades work well)

__ UNsharpened #2 pencils with erasers

__ Black or blue ballpoint pens – NO gel ink

__ Boxes of 24 crayons

__ 2 ½” erasers

 

Many of these school kits go to children who are refugees or are internally displaced. 

According to the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees, 89.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced by the end of 2021 as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order. Among them are nearly 27.1 million refugees, around HALF of whom are under the age of 18. 

The top five countries hosting refugees (totaling 9.9 million) are Turkey (the highest, with 3.8 million), Colombia, Uganda, Pakistan and Germany.