Every year, children in King County go back to school without the basic supplies that most kids take for granted – things like pencils, paper and backpacks. This year, employees from King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit [external link] are asking their passengers to help them stuff a bus full of supplies to be donated to local at-risk children.

"What first grader isn’t excited to get a new box of crayons? That excitement carries over in their desire to do well in the classroom," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Unfortunately, the opposite is sometimes true. When children don’t have the supplies they need for their lessons, it can negatively impact their feelings about school and learning.

"You can change a child’s life, when you give them the tools to learn - even the simplest tools like pencils and notebooks," said Sims.

Transit employees will be accepting donations of new school supplies at seven different King County park-and-ride lots during the first three weeks of August, and the Metro Pass Sales Office in Pioneer Square at 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle. The program is also being carried out by Community Transit and Sound Transit in Snohomish County.

King County bus passengers and community members can bring new items to the following lots on these dates between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.:

• Aug. 5 & 6 – Shoreline Park-and-Ride
                     18821 Aurora Ave. N.
• Aug. 7 & 8 – Northgate Transit Center
                     10200 1st Ave. N.E.
• Aug. 12 & 13 – Eastgate Interim Park-and-Ride
                        13620 S.E. Eastgate Way
• Aug. 12 & 13 – Overlake Transit Center
                         N.E. 40th Street & 156th Avenue N.E.
• Aug. 14 & 15 – South Bellevue Park-and-Ride
                         2700 Bellevue Way S.E.
• Aug. 19 & 20 – Burien Transit Center
                         14900 1st Ave. S.W.
• Aug. 21 & 22 – Kent Transit Center
                         902 W. James St.

The transit agencies are teaming up with the State Department of Social and Health Services to distribute the school supplies. Once the supplies are gathered in King County, they will be turned over to the King West Office of the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), part of DSHS. The office serves children at risk, most of who have been abused, neglected or exploited.

"It may be hard for some people to imagine, but beginning school with their own, brand new supplies could be a new experience for some of our children in foster care," said Jim Jones, Area Administrator with DCFS. "New backpacks, notebooks, and pencils can go a long way toward helping a foster child fit in with other children."

Any new school supplies will be welcome, but there are some items particularly needed by the children served by DCFS.