CLAREMORE, Okla. — Going back to school can get expensive for parents, especially if they have more than one kid.
One Green Country church is doing its best to help ease the burden.
With the community's help and hundreds of hours put in by volunteers, every single child who attends public school in Rogers County can receive all of their school supplies for free.
The “Rogers County School Supply Program” is a non-profit program started in 1998 and gives free school supplies to students grades Pre-K through 12th.
Church volunteers begin working in May, using a bid sheet to get the best price from several suppliers.
Parents or guardians in need can then register their child at the church and a bag is made up specifically for that child with all of the supplies they need for class.
Melissa Worley not only volunteers with the program but also teaches in Rogers County.
She said children's self-esteem can be affected if they don’t have the required items for school.
"When you don’t go to school prepared, you kind of feel like everybody is looking at you and it’s like they try to do everything but their work because they may be too shy or proud to ask for, I mean, something as simple as a pencil," said Worley. "So, it can become a behavior problem when it shouldn’t be a behavioral problem.”
Organizers tell us they still need help raising money to pay for the supplies.
They’ve already spent nearly $45,000 and have only received around $20,000 in donations.
If you have a need, registration starts today and goes until Aug. 21.
All you have to do is give your child’s name, school and grade.
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