Local businesses donate nearly 200,000 school supplies for Supply Surge

When PEMCO set out earlier this summer to launch year four of the Supply Surge, we had one shared goal in mind – to help students reach their highest potential by bringing our community together to do more for more.  

All donations were once again made online, making it easy to participate from wherever we are – and WOW! – employees, customers, partners and their networks showed up to make a huge difference for homeless students in our communities! 

A collective impact 

We brought together 38 South Lake Union organizations and raised over 193,300 school supplies to help bridge the gap for students in Seattle, Lynnwood, Spokane and Portland. From July 19 – Aug. 6, Supply Surge partners including Pacific Science Center, Facebook, Kaiser Permanente, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, MoPOP, Sellen Construction and many others shared in our mission to help schools in our community with the highest number of homeless students.

The Supply Surge was truly community driven. Each partner got creative in promoting the drive to their employees, customers and residents who answered the call by going online and donating much-needed supplies like backpacks, pencils, folders and more for students at 10 local middle and high schools in the Seattle school district. Plus, PEMCO employees and other participants donated supplies that will directly support three middle and high schools in Lynnwood, Spokane and Portland. 

To determine which schools had the greatest need and would be the beneficiaries of the supplies, PEMCO partnered with local school district homeless student programs and utilized the Diversity Report from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction that provides data on the number of students per school who are experiencing homelessness, whose families struggle financially and how many students are a part of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community.  

In total, our supplies will help provide tools needed to succeed in the upcoming school year to 12,300 middle and high school students – the most students we've ever supported through this effort!  

Hear how the Supply Surge will make a difference for students from some of the schools our donations are going to:  

• "We have so many students who would benefit from this resource.  Thank you for supporting Meany!" Sarah Marshall, Administrative Secretary Meany Middle School 

• "We are extremely grateful to receive these donations. Thank you so much." Drew O'Connell, Principal Franklin HS  
• "Thank you so much for your generosity to the students at Chief Sealth International High School. These supplies are always greatly appreciated and needed. On behalf of the students and staff of CSIHS, we thank you so much." Aida Fraser-Hammer, Principal Chief Sealth International High School 
  
  

For more insight into PEMCO's mission to raise achievement levels for youth in education and help local communities thrive, visit www.pemco.com/mutual-good.