Help at-risk and CPS-involved children have a successful school year….
Each fall, BEAR’s Back to School program, which serves over 13,000 children annually, helps ensure that children who might otherwise go without have the confidence, normalcy, and school supplies they need to start the school year off right. Resources like backpacks and school supplies make a HUGE difference in the life of a child’s academic success. To assist BEAR in providing as many Back to School essentials to these children, we invite you to participate in several ways. Whether you choose to host a drive, donate monetarily, shop our Amazon wishlist, or volunteer your time, your support will undeniably make a profound difference! For a flyer to share with friends, family, and colleagues – click here!
2024 Program Sponsors
This year’s program is possible thanks to our STARS, who are making a tremendous impact on the children we serve through their selfless participation!
Donate
If you would like to donate monetarily to the overall program, simply click here or the graphic above to get started, and designate ‘BEAR Back To School’ as your program of choice. IMPORTANT: if you donate in-kind items to BEAR, please make sure to complete an In-Kind Gift Form.
HOST A DRIVE
HOST A DRIVEProvide the resources children need to begin the school year confidently by hosting a school supply drive and delivering them to BEAR’s HQ/ Warehouse (3572 E TC Jester Blvd, Houston, TX 77018) by Friday, September 6th. BEAR is open Monday – Friday from 9 am – 3 pm. Please keep in mind, the earlier the drop-off date, the easier it is to fulfill children’s school supply needs.
To register your school supply drive, click here! For ideas on what school supplies to buy, please click here –> BEAR BTS School Supply Suggestions. Please remember that all school supplies must be NEW and unopened. If you have any questions about hosting a school supply drive, please contact Outreach and Heart Gallery Manager, Merri Hahn.
*IMPORTANT: if you donate to BEAR, please make sure to complete an In-Kind Form so we can properly thank you!
Additional Drop Off Locations
Outback Steakhouse – Baytown, TX
Thanks to Outback Steakhouse in Baytown, TX, you can now drop off your new school supply donations! Head over to 5218 1-10 East, Baytown, TX 77521 now through Sept. 1st during their business hours, 11 am – 10 pm, and help make a difference for children in our community!
Tide Cleaners – July 1st – September 1st, 33 locations!
Exciting news! This year, all 33 Tide Cleaners locations across the greater Houston area will serve as convenient drop-off points for you to donate new school supplies and backpacks. Visit the Tide Cleaners nearest you!
Katy Branch and South Houston Branch Library!
Thanks to these two awesome libraries, you can drop off your school supply donations at the Katy Branch Library until the end of July or at the South Branch Library until the end of August!
– Katy Branch, 5414 Franz Road, Katy, TX 77493
– South Houston Branch Library, 607 Avenue A, South Houston, TX 77587
Kendra Scott – July 22nd – July 27th, 10 participating locations!
BEAR is also proud to partner with Kendra Scott for BEAR Back to School from July 22nd – July 27th! Participating locations include Baybrook Mall, CityCentre, College Station, Cypress, Heights Mercantile, Highland Village, Katy, Pearland, Sugarland, and The Woodlands. Any school supplies donated during this week will receive a 15% discount. Be sure to check each location for their business hours.
Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center – August 1st – August 15th, all locations!
You can visit our incredible partners at Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, who have various neighborhood donor centers throughout the greater Houston area, where you are welcome to drop off new school supplies or backpacks! Visit their page online to find a location near you, or click this document to see locations.
First Colony Mall – August 1st – August 31st, Sugarland, TX
Thanks to First Colony Mall, you can drop off your new school supply or backpack donation anytime from August 1st – August 31st. Find the donation box near our Heart Gallery wall in the food court!
Shop on Amazon
Shop on Amazon Simply click here to access BEAR’s Back-to-School List. Items purchased from BEAR’s Amazon Wishlist are shipped directly to BEAR HQ to be used immediately to fulfill the needs of children. Please be sure to include your name and address so we can acknowledge your donation accordingly!
Volunteer
VolunteerVolunteers are vital to helping get backpacks packed, accepting donations, helping with off-site distribution, and organizing school supplies.
To get started, CLICK HERE to create a volunteer account and see ALL of the off-site and on-site volunteer opportunities that YOU can be a part of! There are numerous fun-filled opportunities for individuals, families, and companies alike! Please note, all opportunities have a set number of volunteers. If you see a time slot that is filled check out another day and time to join in the fun!
Please pay close attention when signing up as some opportunities are at partnering agency locations. Filling these volunteer positions are just as vital as our on-site opportunities at BEAR’s HQ. Thank you for helping us get at-risk and CPS-involved children ready to start the school year!
For any questions regarding volunteer opportunities, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Alexis Evans at Alexis.Evans@harriscountytx.gov
Caseworker’s insight…
“The families that I serve are typically low income and many are grandparents with limited income. Some of our children are uprooted from their homes without any personal belongings. The families are very grateful for BEAR’s assistance with uniforms and school supplies.”
“The Back to School Program has made a significant impact on the children being prepared for the upcoming school year.”
“Because of your generosity many children are able to begin the school year with clean clothes and school supplies.”
“Your donations have contributed in many children staying in their placement longer, having their needs met by the caregiver and excelling in school. Please continue to help our families so that permanency can be achieved for all the kids that Child Protective Services serve. “
