KMR Group Foundation Empowers Local Students with Back-to-School Supply Drive

In a continuation of its commitment to supporting local communities, the KMR Group Foundation has provided 250 school backpacks along with essential school supplies to The Giving Closet, a nonprofit store in Vancouver that serves low-income families.

Filling Backpacks with Hope and Necessities

The summer donation included composition notebooks, crayons, spiral notebooks, and #2 pencils. “KMR was so wonderful to us and gave us 250 backpacks, plus school supplies, which we don’t normally have,” shared Denise Curry, founder and executive director of The Giving Closet. This contribution was especially valuable for their annual “Back to School Bash,” which aims to help approximately 400 children start the school year prepared.

Supporting a Local Institution in Need

This donation builds upon the significant support KMR Group Foundation provided earlier this year. The Giving Closet, which has been serving the community for nearly a quarter-century and has helped tens of thousands of families, was facing closure due to financial challenges when KMR stepped in with a grant that allowed them to continue their mission. As Denise explains, “We were facing closing, and they generously saw that ad [in The Columbian] and had mercy on us and gave us a grant to continue serving our community.”

The Little Details That Make a Big Difference

When selecting these supplies, the foundation paid attention to details that might be overlooked or taken for granted, such as backpacks with mesh side pouches for holding water bottles and spiral notebooks in a variety of colors. Providing diverse colorways in school supplies was essential for giving children a sense of normalcy. Additionally, research suggests that when students make decisions about the type of materials they want to use, they may become more intrinsically motivated to participate in school.

This attention to detail aligns with The Giving Closet’s mission. As Denise shared from her own childhood experience, “The first day of school was kind of brutal. I had my little bag and not very many supplies. And I looked around and I was different. So I know how important it is.”

Helping Every Child Start the School Year Right

This back-to-school initiative reflects the KMR Group Foundation’s ongoing commitment to educational equity and community support. By providing these resources, the foundation helps ensure that all children can start the school year with the tools they need to learn effectively, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

“These kids are our future leaders. They’re our future and we need to invest in them, no matter what their financial status is at home,” Denise emphasized. The Back to School Bash brings joy to the community, with children leaving with new backpacks, school supplies, and even shoes donated by Vans at Vancouver Mall and Bomba socks.