‘A significant need’: How Stephen Wade Auto Center’s school supply drive helps local kids succeed

CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Summer’s almost over, and that means kids will be heading back to class in just a couple of weeks. Stephen Wade Auto Center has joined forces with the Washington County School District Foundation to help at-risk students start the new school year on the right foot, and they need your help.

Every year, the Stephen Wade family of dealerships donates funds and supplies to the Washington County School District Foundation and encourages the community to drop off back-to-school basics as well. Donated items are given directly to students within the district whose families are experiencing financial hardship.

“A lot of times, kids don’t have the resources they need to go back to school,” said Jamie Bahlmann, public relations director for Stephen Wade Auto Center. “We really want to pull together as a community and set our students up to succeed.”

The Washington County School District reports that over 700 students struggled with housing insecurity during the 2022-23 school year. Homeless students may be sharing temporary accommodations with friends and relatives or living in motels, shelters, campgrounds and even cars. Additionally, almost 15,000 students – 44% of the district’s total student body – currently qualify for free and reduced-price school meals based on their household’s income.

Donations of school supplies, such as notebooks, folders, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, glue sticks, earbuds and more will be gratefully accepted. See the complete list of needed items here.

“We have a significant need,” said Steven Dunham, director of communications for the Washington County School District. “Every year, I watch individuals and businesses pull together and pitch in to make a difference in the lives of families that are struggling.”

Stephen Wade Auto Center is also seeking donations for the Counselor’s Closet program, in which the Washington County School District Foundation collects essential items to help kids get through a tough school day and provides them to counselors to distribute as needed. This includes hygiene and personal use products, clothes, underwear, socks and shoes.

Pantry snacks, such as granola bars, trail mix, beef jerky, cookies, crackers and juice pouches, are urgently needed as well. Click here to see the full list.

“The Counselor’s Closet goes beyond just those that are most at risk,” Dunham said. “It can really impact every student in our school system.”

Donations of school supplies and Counselor’s Closet items are being accepted at every Stephen Wade dealership through Aug. 19. All donated products will be delivered to the Washington County School District Foundation.

Stephen Wade Auto Center is always working to build stronger kids, families and communities. Supported by generations of loyal customers, they’ve been donating to worthy causes across Southern Utah for nearly 30 years and don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.

“It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the people of Southern Utah, the people who have made our business so successful,” Bahlmann said. “Together, we can make an impact. When we let our community know that ‘You’ve got it made at Stephen Wade,’ we mean it.”

Learn more about how the Stephen Wade family of dealerships gives back at stephenwade.com/community.

Stephen Wade Auto Center • Stephen Wade Truck Center • Stephen Wade Chevrolet Cadillac • Stephen Wade Mazda • Stephen Wade Honda • Stephen Wade Nissan • Stephen Wade Toyota • Stephen Wade Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Fiat • Mercedes-Benz of St. George

Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.

• S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T •

Resources

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

Sponsored content may be submitted to or developed by St. George News for publication on behalf of the sponsor and in the sponsor's interest. It may include promotional pieces, features, announcements, news releases and advertisements. Opinions expressed in sponsored content are those of the sponsor and not representative of St. George News. Sponsors have no influence over St. George News reporting and product apart from their own sponsored content.

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!