The new school year is quickly approaching. The first day of classes for students in the Catasauqua Area School District is Aug. 30.

This means it’s time to start thinking about gathering the necessary school supplies. This can be a stressful time for families who may have trouble making ends meet and may be in need of assistance.

To help these families, some school district and community groups have come together to plan a community school supplies drive, planned for Aug. 2-13.

The drive is being organized by Leslie Estrada, Catasauqua High School teacher and The Elevate Foundation board member; Jenna Potak, Catasauqua Police Department and CASD school resource officer; and Lois Reed, CASD business supervisor and Catasauqua Community Cares Program coordinator.

Needed school supplies include pencil boxes or cases, yellow No. 2 pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, blue or black pens, single subject and black composition notebooks, two-pocket folders, small scissors, crayons, colored pencils, highlighters, Expo dry erase markers, small binders, lined paper or graph paper, tissue boxes, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, headphones or earbuds and gallon-sized resealable bags.

View the Amazon wish list at tinyurl.com/CASDsupplies.

Donations can be dropped off at Catasauqua Police Department, 90 Bridge St., and the North Catasauqua Borough Office, 1066 Fourth St. Any donations are due by 3 p.m. Aug. 13.

Items purchased directly from the Amazon wish list will be shipped to the police department.

The organizers are requesting you include your name and email or address so they can thank you for your donation.

The Elevate Foundation will also be donating backpacks and other supplies to the district.

Estrada reported she and Potak broke down the school supplies lists given to each grade level from kindergarten through eighth grade to compile the list of items.

She also noted they are reaching out to Catasauqua High School students for assistance with sorting the donated supplies by grade level.

Many of the families who will benefit from this drive have been identified from the list of names put together by the Catasauqua Community Cares Program and the school nurses and guidance counselors, according to Estrada.

Estrada reported they will be setting up a date for students and families to pick up their supplies before the first day of school.

If you have questions, contact Estrada at L.Estrada.Community@gmail.com or Potak via her Officer JD Potak Facebook page.