MONROE — According to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 93 percent of educators report paying for school supplies. Elementary, middle and high school teachers who attend Our Lady of Lourdes Church are no exception. Because of a lack of funding at their schools, every teacher at the parish planned to take on the burden of buying extra supplies for their classroom this fall.
To help ease the financial burden these dedicated teachers were facing, Father Benjamin Roberts invited his parishioners to join him in helping the teachers gear up for the school year.
Each teacher provided a list of items they needed to purchase personally for their classrooms, and Father Roberts created an Amazon Wish List to make it easy for his parishioners to buy individual items, drop off supplies at the parish office, or make a cash donation so the parish could purchase supplies directly.
Thanks to parishioners’ efforts, at least 12 teachers received items to organize and prepare their classrooms and essential school supplies for students needed throughout the school year.
Father Roberts said he was very thankful to everyone for the outpouring of support for their teachers as they returned to school this fall, and hoped it would encourage other parishes to support teachers in their communities.
— Virginia Garramone. Photo provided