ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Buncombe County Social Work has launched a school supplies donation drive for Western North Carolina students in the foster care system, including over 300 kids in Buncombe County. The drive will run through the end of the month.

Donations to the school supplies drive will be accepted from Wednesday, July 22-Friday, July 31 at nine locations between Asheville, Hendersonville and Weaverville.

Where to donate school supplies

Supplies collected during the drive will be given to foster families around the region this August.

“Donated supplies will be distributed to the families who are supporting school-aged children in foster care, including 325 students in our county, and any additional supplies will be given to in-need families who are involved with prevention services,” wrote Buncombe County in a press release. “Local supplies will be distributed in August, in partnership with Biltmore Church.”

Supplies can be dropped off in collection boxes at:

  • Best Life Nutrition, 130 Joel Wright Dr., Hendersonville
  • E Fitness Studio, 557 S. Grove St., Hendersonville
  • East Asheville Library, 3 Avon Road, Asheville
  • Henderson County Library, 301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville
  • NC State Employees’ Credit Union, 1377 Asheville Hwy., Hendersonville
  • North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave., Asheville
  • Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road, Asheville
  • Weaverville Public Library, 41 N. Main St., Weaverville
  • West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Road, Asheville

The following supplies are needed:

  • #2 pencils
  • Backpacks, new and unused
  • Boxes of zipper storage bags, various sizes
  • College-ruled, loose-leaf paper
  • Colored pencils
  • Composition books
  • Dividers, three-hole punched
  • Dry erase markers
  • Glue sticks
  • Graph paper
  • Gum erasers
  • Headphones or earbuds
  • Highlighters
  • Kid scissors
  • Pencil pouches and boxes
  • Pencil sharpeners, small
  • Pencil top erasers
  • Pocket folders, three prong
  • Pocket folders, without prongs
  • Three-ring binders, one inch
  • Tissue boxes
  • Washable markers
  • Wide-ruled, loose-leaf paper