Support Local Back-to-School Drives

Back to School is an emotionally tumultuous time for both parents and children with feelings running the gamut from apprehension about starting a new year, annoyance about relinquishing the freedom of the summer months to downright jubilance about regaining structure after the same long summer months.

For some families, back to school can also be a time of economic anxiety.

The household median income in Palm Beach County is over $80,000 and over 50,000 children in our county are from food insecure households with 65% of all Palm Beach County School District students enrolled in the government-subsidized free and reduced lunch program.

According to the United States Senate Federal Credit Union, the average cost of school supplies (including clothing and shoes) is $586 per child.

This time of year can be hard for families and the financial burden of ensuring their child has everything they need to succeed for the upcoming academic year can be a major challenge but you can help ease some of that burden for your neighbors by supporting one of the numerous Back to School Drives happening across the county.

Community Partners of South Florida is hosting a Back to School Drive at Mole Cantina Mexicana (2557 S State Rd 7 #150, Wellington, FL 33414) on July 31, 2025, from 5:30-7:30 PM. Guests can groove to the musical stylings of pop violinist Gareth Johnson while enjoying an extended happy hour.

Donations can be made here and will directly support the purchase of school uniforms for students in need across South Florida.

The Boys and Girls Club of Palm Beach County is partnering with Office Depot OfficeMax for a summer-long initiative aiming to help more than 9,000 local Club members.

Supplies needed include:

• 17 inch durable backpack

• 1 pack of 5 crayons

• 1 pencil sharpener with dome cover

• 2 pink erasers

• 1 two pocket folder

• 1 glue stick

• 1 highlighter

• 70 page spiral notebook

• 1 pack of three #2 pencils

• 1 pack of three pens (blue and black)

• 12 inch ruler

• 1 pencil case

The drive is running through Friday, August 1 and donors can drop off supplies at numerous locations across Palm Beach County including:

• Marriott West Palm Beach

  • 1001 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33401

• Palm Beach County Library

  • 3650 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33406

• Shark Wake Park at Okeeheelee Park

  • 1440 Eshleman Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33413

• Starbucks

  • 10925 N Military Trl, West Palm Beach, FL 33410.

The Town of Palm Beach United Way is also hosting a school supplies drive until Aug 4, 2025 and collecting school supplies for all grade levels at the following locations:

• United Way Office

  • 44 Cocoanut Row, Suite M201 (valet available)

• Field of Greens Palm Beach

  • 253A Royal Poinciana Way

• Field of Greens Dixie

  • 4802 South Dixie Highway

• Central Fire Station

  • 355 South County Road

• South Fire Station

  • 2185 South Ocean Boulevard

• North Fire Station

  • 300 North County Road

With more than half of Palm Beach County students on the free and reduced lunch program, food insecurity is a serious concern for Palm Beach County families. School lunch might be the primary meal many children receive during the week and during the weekends, they might not get enough to eat at all.

The Palm Beach County Food Bank is hosting their fourth annual “One Can, Two Can, Who Can? You Can!” Back-to-School Food Drive to combat this issue.

Between Thursday, August 1, 2024 – Saturday, August 31, 2024, Palm Beach County residents can drop off shelf-stable items (no glass) such as beans, fish, beef, chicken, milk, peanut butter, vegetables and fruit at the Palm Beach County Food Bank at 701 Boutwell Road, #A2, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33461 as well as numerous Palm Beach County Public Library locations throughout the county:

• Main Library

  • 3650 Summit Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33406.

• Okeechobee Boulevard Branch

  • 5689 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33417.

• Acreage Branch

  • 15801 Orange Blvd, Loxahatchee, FL 33470.

• Wellington Branch

  • 1951 Royal Fern Drive, Wellington, FL 33414.

• Royal Palm Beach Branch

  • 500 Civic Center Way, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411.

• Lantana Road Branch

  • 4020 Lantana Road, Lake Worth, FL 33462.

• Greenacres Branch

  • 3750 Jog Road, Greenacres, FL 33467

Giving makes a discernible difference. Whether it’s time, shelf-stable food, school supplies or school uniforms – when you give, you make an impact on the lives of the most vulnerable residents of Palm Beach County – our children.