RHODE ISLAND — State, local, and federal law enforcement agencies across Rhode Island are again joining forces to collect donations of new backpacks and school supplies to help school children in the Ocean State through the Kids, Cops, and Classroom’s project.
Rhode Island State Police said the goal of Kids, Cops, and Classrooms is to help ease the financial burden many families face when it comes to providing their children with the school supplies they need.
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State police, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, the Department of the RI Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Rhode Island will accept donations at any state police barracks and Cardi’s Furniture & Mattresses locations. These will be distributed to local agencies that work with families in need throughout the state, state police said.
“School supplies and backpacks are critical to students’ success in schools, and it’s no secret that the costs of these items can place a real burden on families throughout the state,” Attorney General Peter Neronha said. “My office is once again excited to participate in this year’s ‘Kids, Cops and Classrooms’ program, which will support families across Rhode Island and help ensure that our students are well-equipped to succeed in the classroom. The Rhode Island State Police do an outstanding job in organizing this event each year, and we are proud to stand with them and our partners in law enforcement yet again.”
These are some of the supplies being sought through the Kids, Cops, and Classroom’s campaign:
- Backpacks (all sizes)
- No. 2 pencils
- Pens
- Pencil boxes
- Box of crayons
- Spiral notebooks
- Three-ring binders (1, 1 ½, 2 inches)
- Subject dividers
- Book covers
- Index cards
- Pencil sharpeners
- Assignment book/weekly planners
- Rulers (inches and centimeters)
- Protractors
- Compasses
- Scientific calculators
- Calculators
- Dictionary (pocket size)
- Thesaurus (pocket size)
- Mini-staplers and staples
- USB flash drives
- Facial tissues
- Antibacterial hand sanitizer
- Box of colored pencils
- Box of washable markers
- Highlighters
- Watercolor paint sets
- Pads of coloring paper
- Large pink erasers
- Glue sticks
- Bottles of glue (Elmer’s type)
- Safety scissors
- Two-pocket folders
- Composition books
- Wide-rule loose-leaf paper
- Graph paper.
“Our commitment to serving the community extends beyond law enforcement,” State police Col. Darnell Weaver said. “Through the Kids, Cops, and Classrooms program, we aim to ensure that children in Rhode Island start the school year with the resources they need to succeed. This initiative embodies our dedication to supporting youth, families, teachers, and schools throughout our state, fostering a brighter future for all. We appreciate our law enforcement colleagues for joining our efforts, which enables this program to benefit as many residents across Rhode Island as possible.”
State police said donations will be given to the following agencies for distribution to families: African Alliance of Rhode Island, Center for Southeast Asians, Chad Brown Alumni Association, Children’s Friend, Community Angels, Connecting Children & Families, Crossroads Rhode Island, East Bay Community Action Program, Family Services of Rhode Island, Glad Tidings Community Church, Hispanic Ministerial Alliance, Mt. Hope Community Center, Multicultural Center for All, Narragansett Indian Tribe, Progreso Latino, Wat Leo Buddhovath of Rhode Island, Wiggin Village, Cranston YMCA, Prospect Heights, and Phoenix Apartments.
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