PLATTSBURGH -- With September quickly approaching, many area families are wondering where money will come from for school supplies.

Help is available. The Joint Council for Economic Opportunity and area businesses are sponsoring their 10th-annual Back-To-School Drive.

Parents, either by visiting the JCEO office on Margaret Street or any JCEO Outreach Center, can receive free school supplies.

Community Outreach Program Director Sally Soucia explained that it all started with a telephone call.

"Janet Duprey (then a county legislator) called Gordon Hazel (JCEO executive director) and said that this is what they were doing in Vermont -- donating school supplies -- and she thought that it was a real good idea to do in this community. She brought it to JCEO because she thought we could do it."

Soucia said the program started out small but has increased steadily over the years.

Not only do businesses help out, but so do individuals.

"I think that over the years, people have heard of it, and the donations that we get from individuals are bigger because they want to do something to help the community."

She blamed rising fuel prices as one reason for the increase in the demand for the program, which helps kindergartners through college students. No one is denied, she said.

Donations of any type of supply or dollar amount will be accepted. Soucia stressed the need for backpacks.

To make any kind of donation, people should stop by the Margaret Street office or a local Outreach Center.

"(The price of) everything is so high," Soucia concluded. "People need to apply, and those who aren't, probably should. It's small, but it helps out a lot."

Supplies will be available through September.

For further information, call 561-6310.

kcountry@primelink1.net