Help children be ready for the start of school by donating school supplies (see list below) through one of the following programs:

The RISD Partners Program is collecting school supplies for families in need to reduce the number of students who return to school in the fall without school supplies. Cash or check donations are also accepted. Contact Lisa Andrews at 469-593-0307 or lisa.andrews@risd.org for information. Donations can be dropped off at the RISD Administration Building, 400 S. Greenville Ave., from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekdays.

Network of Community Ministries is holding its Tools-4-School drive to fill backpacks with supplies for RISD students. Call 972-234-8880 ext. 110 for information. Donations can be dropped off at Network, 741 S. Sherman St.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED

  • Facial tissues
  • Manila paper
  • Construction paper
  • Composition books
  • Spiral notebooks (1 subject)
  • #2 pencils/colored pencils
  • Washable markers
  • Black, blue and red pens
  • Children’s scissors
  • Plastic pencil boxes
  • Zippered supply bags
  • Binders (3-inch)
  • Notebook Paper
  • Two-pocket folders
  • Pink beveled erasers
  • Crayons
  • Glue sticks/4 oz. glue bottles
  • Rulers
  • Water color paints
  • Backpacks


National Public Alert Test Scheduled for Aug. 7
 The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and radio and television Emergency Alert System (EAS) participants, will conduct a nationwide test of the EAS beginning at 1:20 p.m. Central Daylight Time Wednesday, Aug. 7. The test, consisting of a one-minute message similar to the monthly EAS test, will evaluate the readiness of the national alerting capability in the absence of Internet connectivity, focusing on the capability of EAS radio and television providers to distribute a test message nationwide.

This will be the first time that FEMA has initiated a test message from the National Public Warning System component of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), which unifies EAS, the National Warning System, Wireless Emergency Alerts and NOAA Weather Radio under a single platform. IPAWS was established in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina.

For more information, contact the IPAWS Program Management Office at IPAWS@fema.dhs.gov.