PITTSTON — The Greater Pittston Chamber Women’s Network, for the second year, held a backpack, school supplies and hygiene products drive donated to the Pittston Area and Wyoming Area School Districts.
School supplies collected and donated were backpacks, pens, pencils, pencil cases, folders, spirial notebooks, highlighters, colored pencils, markers, crayons, pencil sharpeners and glue sticks.
Hygiene products collected were shampoos, conditioners, body wash, hand sanitizers, tissues, deodorants, barrettes/hair ties, Chapsticks, toothbrushes, toothpastes, combs and brushes.
There were 375 book bags were donated to the two school districts fulfilling a need for students, but according to Brandi Bartush, Chamber director of operations, there is a larger need hoping to top next year’s numbers.
“We surpassed our goal of 300 for this year, but knowing there’s still more of a need,” Bartush said. “Even though we have more from last year, we had to turn people down. It’s a humbling experience and we don’t necessarily know the need unless you are up front and center doing this, there is a need for us to step up and take care of this deficiency.”
Bartush thanked the community and organizations for stepping in with donations and would like to see next year’s drive be bigger and better than this year.
School supplies were dropped off by Aug. 9 and distributed to each school representatives.