Martin Volunteers is gearing up for its seventh annual School Supplies for Students Drive, with the trademark “little red schoolhouses” going out to collection points during the week of July 9.

The School Supplies for Students Drive responds to a strong need from the community and seeks to make the start of the school year a little easier for thousands of students.

Last year, the drive collected and distributed nearly 51,000 items for 7,000 students in preschool through 12th grade, and the need is the same this year. The drive serves youngsters throughout Martin County who qualify for the free and reduced-price lunch program.

Collection will occur during July, with distribution to the schools being scheduled before the start of classes on Aug. 20.

Items needed include pens, pencils, pencil boxes, glue, binders, two-pocket folders, crayons, colored pencils, markers, scissors, rulers, erasers, notebook paper, subject notebooks, and composition books.

As the time draws near to gather the supplies, the community can help in many ways:

* Plan a drive or school supplies party at your place business. Think along the lines of the way you would handle a toy drive at holiday time.

* Drop off donations at the little red schoolhouses, located inside five Martin County library branches (Blake, Hoke, Cummings, Hobe Sound, and Morgade) and at the Stuart News. Other collection points will be listed at www.martinvolunteers.org/schoolsupplies.

* Make a monetary contribution to the drive. This is the best way to help the most children, as Martin Volunteers can buy in bulk to stretch donations.

“Funds for this project are severely limited, and a little goes a long way,” said Anne Lalley, project coordinator. “For as little as $20, for example, you can supply a child with the essential items to begin the school year.”

You can make payments online or via mail. Go to www.martinvolunteers.org/schoolsupplies to use PayPal or make checks payable to Martin Volunteers/School Supplies and mail to School Supplies Drive, PO Box 362, Stuart, FL  34995.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Anne Lalley, project coordinator, at (772) 220-4472, ext. 232 or alalley@martinvolunteers.org.

Information about the School Supplies Drive and all Martin Volunteers projects is available at www.martinvolunteers.org. Martin Volunteers is a program of United Way of Martin County.