At the Samaritan Center, we believe in helping children start the year off right. Many families in our service area struggle with rent and basic needs. It is staggering when you add the cost of school supplies to an already strained budget. Stock Their Lockers program helps make sure children have the supplies they need to succeed in school. This is a program geared towards families in Eastern Hamilton County with children in grades K-12.
Families in our service area (see list below) who request assistance, undergo a complete financial evaluation to determine eligibility for the program. If they are eligible, they are invited back to shop in a room specially designed and set up as a school supply store. Then with the help of a volunteer, they go through and shop from their school supply list. By the time the day is over, they have brand-new supplies in hand to start the school year off right.
During their shopping experience, students pick out what notebooks they want, the color or style of their new backpack, new socks, toiletries, new underwear, and so much more.
SERVICE AREA ZIP CODES
37302 – Apison
37308 – Birchwood
37315 – Collegedale
37421 – East Brainerd/Tyner
37336 – Georgetown
37341 – Harrison
37416 – Highway 58/Bonny Oaks
37353 – McDonald
37363 – Ooltewah
WHY WE HELP
Did you know that the average cost for parents to spend each year on grades K-12 school supplies is $600 per student?
For families who are struggling with rent and basic household needs, this is a lot of money. This means that many of these children will start the school year without the proper tools for success. Last year the Samaritan Center gave away more than $106,000 in school supplies.
After three years of Covid adjustments to the program, we are back to offering our local students an in-house school supply shopping experience.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
During Stock Their Lockers, individuals in our community collect new backpacks, pencils, paper, crayons, glue sticks, and other school supplies and donate them to the Center.
Monetary donations given by community members for Stock Their Lockers go toward funding items that have not come in during collection drives. If you would like to give financial support, stop by during office hours to donate by check, cash, or credit card.
BARREL DRIVE HOST
As a barrel host, you play a role in helping a student prepare for school by hosting a barrel in your place of business or worship. The Samaritan Center will drop off the barrel and pick it up; all you have to do is host and share with the community.
To learn more about how you can become involved with Stock Their Lockers, contact Brandi Dixon at 423.238.7777 ext. 20, or by email: brandidixon@thesamaritancenter.net.
Our current donation sites for Stock Their Lockers. Thank you so much for the following barrel partners.
- Samaritan Center office, 9231 Lee Highway, Ooltewah 37363
- Samaritan Center donation dock, 6017 Ooltewah-Georgetown Rd 37363
- Millennium Bank, 6392 Artesian Circle Ooltewah, 37363
- Millennium Bank, 7201 Shallowford Road Chattanooga, 37421
- Millennium Bank, 8045 E. Brainerd Road Chattanooga, 37421
- Millennium Bank, 4712 Hixson Pike Hixson, 37343
- Millennium Bank, 823 Chestnut Street Chattanooga, 37402
- Hills Parc Apartments, 9198 Integra Hills Lane Ooltewah, 37363
- Still Life Fitness, 2107 S Highland Park Ave, Chattanooga, 37404
- Collegedale Public Library, 9318 Apison Pike, Collegedale, 37363
- Pinnacle Financial, 5544 Little Debbie Pkwy, Collegedale, 37363
- Fit One Gym, 6857 Mountain View Road, Ooltewah 37363
- The Lantern of Collegedale, 9300 Messinger Lane Ooltewah, 37363
- Morning Pointe of Chattanooga at Shallowford, 7719 Shallowford Road Chattanooga, 37421
- Morning Pointe at Greenbriar Cove, 9650 Leyland Drive, Ooltewah 37363
- Morning Pointe Home Offices, 6020 Arbury Way, Ooltewah 37363
- Garden Plaza of Greenbriar Cove, 4586 Forsythia Way, Collegedale 37363
- St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal, 7555 Ooltewah-Georgetown Road, Ooltewah 37363
- Collegedale Community SDA Church, 9305 Four Corners Place Collegedale, 37363
- Discovery Point, 5987 Hunter Road Ooltewah 37363
- Christ United Methodist Church, 8645 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga 37421
- Collegedale Chiropractic, 9457 David Smith Lane, Ooltewah, 37363
- Ooltewah Adventist Church, 9209 Amos Road, Ooltewah 37363
- Joy Chiropractic, 9409 Apison Pike Ooltewah 37363
- First Bank of Ooltewah, 9217 Lee Highway, 37363
- Allied Pediatrics, 5564 Little Debbie Pkwy. Suite 114, Ooltewah 37363
- Allied Pediatrics, 7405 Shallowford Road Suite 270, Chattanooga 37421
- Southeast Bank, 9218 Lee Highway, Ooltewah 37363
- Hurst United Methodist Church, 829 Dallas Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37405
- Embassy Suites by Hilton, 2321 Lifestyle Way, Chattanooga, TN
- Kid to Kid, 7047 Lee Hwy #201, Chattanooga, TN 37421
- Miller Motte Technical College, 6397 Lee Hwy Suite 100, Chattanooga, TN 37421
GIVING BY QR
Scan the blue QR code to see the Stock Their Lockers Amazon Wishlist or scan the red QR code to give financially. As always, you are more than welcome to visit us during office hours.
Amazon Wish List (click for link)
Paypal Donation (click for link)
NEEDS LIST:
Blue ink pens
Sharpies
Permanent markers
Cap erasers
#2 loose pencils
Index cards (lined and unlined)
Band-aids
Pencil sharpeners (also primary pencil sharperners)
Rulers
Zippered pencil pouches
Paper towels
Jump drives
Marbled journals (college-rule)
Teen backpacks
And anything else school related
ADDRESS: The Samaritan Center | 9231 Lee Highway | Ooltewah, TN 37363
(423) 238-7777