4,000 Students Find Supplies Waiting
on the First Day of School
“It’s a
back-to-school tradition,” said Kim Lewis, mother of four and National Charity
League (NCL) volunteer. Each year, Lewis and her daughters, one a student at
Memorial Middle School and three enrolled at Stratford High School, gather in
the Spring Branch ISD board room to sort and distribute school supplies for
SBISD’s economically disadvantaged students.
The school
supply drive is sponsored by Spring Branch Education Foundation (SBEF) and
spearheaded by Patty and Becky Busmire. The event is a Busmire family tradition
as well.
“Becky and I
first got involved in 2006. She was in the seventh grade, and it was one of our
first NCL activities. We were hooked and offered to take it on as a joint
project. Now it’s our last summer activity before Becky returns to college,”
Patty said.
Patty
Busmire is an SBEF board member and chair of the Foundation’s Special Events
committee. Becky is a junior at St. Edwards University in Austin, TX. They were
joined in their efforts by members of the National Charity League, Alpha Charity League, National Honor
Societies from Memorial and Stratford High Schools and the Memorial Mustang
Outreach Bunch.
“Each year,
we wonder where we’ll get the supplies,” Patty Busmire said. “And each year, it
comes like manna from heaven. This year, employees of Memorial Hermann Memorial
City Medical Center were very generous in an employee drive. We received
monetary gifts from Wells Fargo, the Northwest Harris County Retired Educators’
Association and a large number of individuals.” The Busmire Family Foundation
also contributes to the drive.
Once the
supplies were assembled, they were delivered to 29 SBISD schools where they
were available to 4,000 students on the first day of school. Up to 60 percent
of SBISD students are considered economically
disadvantaged, a number that reflects the students eligible for free and
reduced meal programs.
Photo (left to right): Becky and Patty Busmire ready 13 pallets of student supplies to deliver to 29 SBISD schools.
About Spring Branch Education Foundation
The
Foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of education for every student
in SBISD. Founded in 1993, SBEF
provides donors with a vehicle for making tax-deductible gifts to the district.
The Foundation has raised more than $8 million and received the Houston
Business Promise Award from the Greater Houston Partnership.