It's that time of year.

School will be back in session in a few weeks and school supplies are in need all across the Bay area.

Agencies from Manatee to Citrus County are collection supplies and taking donation.

Bay News 9 will highlight some of the collections during the next few weeks and offer a complete list as part of our Back-to-School coverage closer to schools opening in August.

Here are a few places to donate:

Bank of the Ozarks

Bank of the Ozarks is taking donations for school supplies at the following branches. Drop off times can be 9-4 Mon-Thurs and 9-6 Friday.

  • 2102 59th St W, Bradenton, FL  34209
  • 1901 Manatee Ave W, Bradenton, FL  34205
  • 3705 53rd Ave E, Bradenton, FL  34203
  • 501 8th Ave W, Palmetto, FL  34221
  •  

The Spring of Tampa Bay

School starts in just a few weeks and we are in need of school supplies: backpacks, pencils, pens, rulers, calculators, paper, etc.

Please package your donation, label "School Supplies" and bring them to our Donation Center at 209 N. Willow Ave. Tampa 33606.

For information, call the Spring at (813) 258-1185.

Christ Episcopal Church

This year there is also an urgent need for school supplies.  

The school supplies needed include pencils and pencil boxes, crayons, washable markers, scissors, school glue and glue sticks, 4 pocket folders (with and without prongs), notebook paper (wide ruled), spiral notebooks, 1” ring binders, rulers, composition notebooks, highlight pens, dictionaries, 3x5 index cards, flash drives, post-it-notes, thesauri, 4x4 graph paper, ball point pens, pencil sharpeners, colored pencils, and protractors.

On August 9 from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Bradenton Kiwanis will pack 500 back packs for children of homeless families specifically selected by the Manatee County School’s "Project Heart."

The event is called “Christmas in August” and coincides with the beginning of the school year.  

The public is encouraged to make donations to Christmas in August by dropping off items at the Christ Episcopal Church office, 4030 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, until August 8.

For information, call (941) 747-3709.

Gettel Automotive Family of Dealerships and Hope Kids Community

The dealership is hosting a community outreach event to serve the children in our school system that are homeless or in a great need of the basics.  

The vision is to serve the children in our schools system who are homeless and living in cars, shelters, the street, and many in great need with the basic needs.  

There are 2000 children in need of our help in both Manatee and Sarasota counties.  Supplies are being collected until August 10, 2014.  

For more information contact Ellen Walther: ewalther@gettel.com or 941-567-2660 Ext.2030.

Drop off locations Manatee County:

Toyota of Lakewood                                           
5959 E. State Rd 64                                    
Bradenton, Florida                                             

Gettel Toyota  
6423 14th St. West       
Bradenton, Florida

Gettel  Pre-owned
2601 1st Street East
Bradenton, Florida

Hyundai of Bradenton
2503 1st Street East   
Bradenton, Florida