Community Helps Pack The Bus For Local Students
Synergy Bank and United Way of South Louisiana coordinated a multi-parish school supply drive to benefit children in need in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. With the help of the community, they were able to collect thousands of school supplies to be used by local students.
“The Pack The Bus School Supply Drive helps to provide students with the tools and resources they need to succeed,” Jerry Ledet, Synergy Bank President and CEO, said. “Synergy Bank is honored to work with other community-minded businesses and the United Way to help local families.”
Community members were encouraged to donate new school supplies at donation bins set up at businesses throughout Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes in the month of July. On July 30th, members from United Way and Synergy Bank traveled in a school bus to each location to pick up the donations to “pack the bus” with supplies. The supplies were then sorted and divided equally for delivery to Terrebonne and Lafourche Parish School Boards to disperse among schools. Items collected included notebooks, paper, pencils, pens, highlighters, markers, crayons, backpacks, glue sticks, erasers, folders, binders, and much more.
“We are so appreciative of everyone who donated school supplies for Pack The Bus,” United Way Executive Director Alina Merlos said. “The right tools can allow a child to focus on learning, feel prepared, and be confident that they can succeed in school and in life.”
Many local businesses participated and assisted with the Pack the Bus School Supply Drive by serving as a drop-off location, donating supplies, or donating in-kind services. The partners included: Bayou Cane Sports Bar, Bayou Country Children’s Museum, Bayou Industrial Group, Chick-fil-A, ConocoPhillips, Delta Sigma Theta Bayou Lafourche Area Alumna Chapter, Downtown Jeaux’s Coffee Cafe, First United Methodist Church of Thibodaux, Fletcher Technical Community College, Evergreen Cajun Center, Evergreen Lions Club, Greater Lafourche Port Commission, Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, Howard Nixon Music Scholarship Foundation, John Deere of Thibodaux, LOOP, Nicholls State University, Nick Hebert Insurance Agency, Pelican Waste, Raising Cane’s, Rotary Club of Houma, Rotary Club of Houma Sunrise, Schoolplies, South Central Industrial Association, South Louisiana Bank, Synergy Bank, Terrebonne General Health System, Terrebonne Parish Government, Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, Thibodaux Playhouse, Thibodaux Regional Health System, and Unitech Training Academy.
Families in need of school supplies should contact Kwanzaa Bolden with Terrebonne Parish School District at 985-879-6400 ext. 264 or Quentina Brown with Lafourche Parish School District at 985-532-2508.
