“The Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation invites leaders, individuals, churches and organizations and businesses, to be part of back to school supply project for this school year,” Rose Smith, director of the foundation said.
Members of the community can donate various school supplies including pencils, pens, coloring pencils, crayons, markers, writing pads, notebooks, filler paper, rulers, glue, erasers, sharpeners, scissors and backpacks.
Smith said National Office Supply donated a $100 gift certificate for school supplies and supported the project by allowing the Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation to put a donation box inside the store.
The other donation boxes are at Modern Stationery and Joeten Superstore.
“Please donate school supplies to our boxes in those three stores. Buy the supplies and fill a donation form at the cashier so that we know the donors for us to write back to you and for your tax purposes,” Smith said.
The foundation, she added, believes in providing young students with proper tools to achieve their dream.
“We are very fortunate here on Saipan, but some children go to school without supplies like in Africa where supplies are very limited and many times not available,” she said.
Smith said she grew up in a family that could not afford to buy pencils for her and her siblings. She said they had to share one pencil.
“I was in a class where we shared one eraser and one sharpener because many families could not afford to buy school supplies. The little money they had would go to food instead,” Smith said.
She came from Kenya where most families subsist on an income of $1 a day.
“We can make a difference in children’s lives by donating school supplies. Let us all share what we have to help those families struggling during these hard times,” Smith said.
“Thank you again to all our sponsors and supporters who have supported our efforts in the past for us to reach out to the community and abroad,” she added.
If you wish to donate, write a check to Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation. You can also drop your donations at the Empty Vessel Ministry Foundation office in Gualo Rai or at the Empty Vessel Ministry booth during the Thursday street market. For more information, call 483-0162 or 235-2340, or visit www.emptyvesselministry.org.
