Supporting Our Schools

NBC Bay Area is teaming up with Family Giving Tree to help prepare 30,000 Bay Area students for the 2024-2025 school year.

To make a donation CLICK HERE.

Nearly 4 million Bay Area residents are considered low-income or very low-income. With rising costs, essential school supplies are increasingly out of reach for these families, who are making difficult decisions between rent and food.

Nearly half (46%) of the households in the Bay Area struggle to meet all of their needs. This means many students go to school without the basic tools and supplies they need to complete their work. FGT, with community support, brings equity to the classroom and offers hope through backpacks filled with school supplies.

Family Giving Tree's Back-to-School Drive will supply K-12 students with grade-appropriate, supply-filled backpacks,
help release families from at least one financial burden, and level the educational playing field
for all students.

For complete information about the annual backpack drive, visit the Programs page.

Below, is a list of essential school supplies that you can contribute. To make a donation CLICK HERE.

2024 Back-to-School Drive Supply List:

• Colored Pencils - 24-pack with 24 different colors (sharpened pencils).
• Construction Paper - 48-pack min. Multiple color pack - 9” x 12” sheets.
• Crayons - 24-pack with 24 different colors (washable ok but not required).
• Dental Floss - travel size or larger - waxed - string floss only (no picks) - mint or
• original.
• Earbuds - wired with mic (sturdy with sound isolation - tangle-free or retractable preferred.
• Eraser - block/wedge eraser - pink or white preferred - approx 2 3/8 in x 1 in x 3/8
• in. NO pencil top erasers.
• Flashcards - standard size with box or container for storage
• Headphones - noise reduction - are over the ear, with a cord. Padded ear covering, 3.5 mm jack. Designed to last the entire school year. Adjustable, covers the entire ear. Can be purchased in bulk for $8 -12/each. Colors are fine.
• Pencils - pack of 12 (sharpened) #2 pencils.
• Pencil Pouch - soft and large enough to hold (place these items in pouch: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, erasers, glue sticks, highlighters (grades 6-12) & pencil sharpener.
• Pencil Sharpener - dual hole - with a barrel to catch shavings. No electric.
• Pens - ball point - black or blue only (capped or retractable are fine) - 10 pens.
• Pocket Folders - different colors (paper or plastic are fine) no metal brads.
• Pocket Tissue - travel size - no boxes.
• Ruler - 12-inches - plastic preferred, wooden accepted (includes both standard
• and metric) - flexible ok.
• Spiral Bound College Rule Notebook (with cover) - 70 + pages - single subject
• Whiteboard with Marker & Eraser - sturdy enough for full school year 9 x 12 include a black dry-erase pen with an eraser (eraser may be attached to the penor separate) attached preferred. Lines on one side are okay, if only one-sided - no lines.