St Mark Youth Enrichment

Apples for StudentsSt. Mark Youth Enrichment Apples for Students provides school supplies to students in need in Dubuque, Western Dubuque, and surrounding areas. School supplies were provided to 3,600 students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch.Apples for Students is organized and facilitated by St. Mark in collaboration with the schools, area businesses, and community volunteers. Every year in May/June, the process begins to identify students in need and every year we identify increasing numbers of students. (Statement continued on Schedule O)Students in need are referred to us by their schools or a human service agency. We then solicit the community by approaching individuals, churches, and area businesses to donate money to purchase the supplies. St. Mark buys supplies in bulk because it is cost effective to do this during the months of July and August. In August, St. Mark rallies 100 volunteers that organize and sort the supplies, package the required materials by grade and needs of the school, deliver the supplies, and clean up. Approximately 400 hours of volunteer work takes place. Individual bags of school supplies are then delivered to the school buildings where they are distributed to students upon starting school.The program reduces the expense and anxiety on families who cannot afford the needed school supplies so that their children can go to school prepared and empowered to learn. This project cultivates support from a community that values education and ensures equitable access to the tools needed to be successful, so students are able to focus on learning in comfort.