UNITED WAY ASKS FOR DONATED SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR NEEDY STUDENTS

As families head to stores in coming weeks for the annual ritual of back-to-school shopping, the Area Wide United Way is asking parents to pick up a few extra supplies for the county's less fortunate children.

The United Way has set up collection stations at Schnucks, ShopKo and Target so shoppers can conveniently drop off extra purchases of notebooks, pencils, pens and other classroom staples. The collected items will be distributed to needy students through children's funds established in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson school districts.

Stocking up on supplies in preparation of the start of the new school year, as any parent can attest, can be expensive.

The generous efforts of local shoppers can ease that burden for some.