Charleston residents can start dropping off school supplies at city recreation centers beginning July 13 as the city prepares to stock its annual First Day Festival on Aug. 9.
Donated items will be distributed to students at the festival, which runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will be held at the Galliard Auditorium and the South Carolina Aquarium. The event will also offer free aquarium admission, entertainment, food trucks and a community resource fair. Parking will be available for $1 at the aquarium and at the Galliard Garage.
Where to donate and what to bring
The City of Charleston is accepting supplies at several recreation facilities. City officials say the most-needed items include composition notebooks, loose notebook paper, spiral notebooks, two-pocket folders, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, markers, erasers, pencil cases, and scissors.
- Donation drop-off begins July 13 at city recreation sites.
- Businesses and organizations can register to host their own drives.
- All donations will be used to stock the First Day Festival on Aug. 9.
"The festival will include: Free school supplies"
Donation locations
Community members may drop off supplies at any of the following City of Charleston Recreation facilities.
| Facility | Address |
|---|---|
| Arthur W. Christopher Community Center | 265 Fishburne St., Charleston, SC 29403 |
| Daniel Island Recreation Center | 160 Fairbanks Drive, Daniel Island, SC 29492 |
| James Island Recreation Complex | 1088 Quail Drive, Charleston, SC 29412 |
| Bees Landing Recreation Center | 1580 Ashley Gardens Blvd, Charleston, SC 29414 |
| Peggy Bohne Tennis Center | 19 Farmfield Ave., Charleston, SC 29407 |
| Maybank Tennis Center | 1880 Houghton Drive, Charleston, SC 29414 |
How businesses and groups can help
Organizations interested in running their own supply drives should register ahead of time so the city can coordinate drop-off locations and timing. The city directed businesses to contact Mindy Sturm, director of Economic and Neighborhood Services, to register or for more details.
Contact information provided by the city:
- Email: sturmm@charleston-sc.gov
- Phone: 843-860-2233
City leaders say the annual drive and the First Day Festival aim to ease the financial burden on families and ensure students start the school year with needed supplies. Residents who want to support local students can drop off items at the listed facilities or ask their employers about hosting a collection.
