Fred Meyer and Salvation Army kick off back-to-school donations drive

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Fred Meyer is teaming up with The Salvation Army to ensure thousands of children across the state return to school equipped with the essential supplies they need to learn and succeed. 

Throughout the month of August, every Fred Meyer store will host a school supply collection box at the Customer Service Center. Customers are encouraged to drop off new school supplies to support local students in need.  At the end of the campaign, The Salvation Army* will collect and distribute the donated items through its Community Centers, providing grade-appropriate backpacks full of supplies to families who need extra support heading into the school year. 

“At Fred Meyer, we want to make a difference in the communities we serve,” said Tiffany Sanders, Fred Meyer Corporate Affairs Director. “We’re grateful for the partnership with Salvation Army so that the generous school supply donations from our associates and customers go directly to local families.” 

A Growing Need in Our Communities 

Last year, thousands of children received essential school supplies through this partnership, and the need continues to grow. The Salvation Army’s Cascade Division anticipates serving even more children this year, as many families continue to face economic challenges.  “The Salvation Army is deeply grateful to Fred Meyer and our generous neighbors for their continued support in helping every child start the school year ready to succeed,” said Major Jonathan Harvey, 

Divisional Commander - Cascade Division. “We remain committed to ‘doing the most good’ by offering a hand up to youth and easing the burden on families—so no one has to choose between school supplies and putting food on the table.” 

Top Most-Needed School Supplies (All Grades) 

• Backpacks (sturdy, medium or large size) 

• Notebooks (wide-ruled and college-ruled) 

• Binders & Folders (1" or 2" binders, 2-pocket folders) 

• Pencils (No. 2 and mechanical) 

• Pens (blue, black, and red ink) 

• Crayons (24-count) 

• Markers & Highlighters 

• Colored Pencils 

• Glue Sticks & School Glue 

• Scissors (kid-safe or youth-sized) 

• Erasers (pencil-top and large pink) 

• Rulers (inches & centimeters) 

• Pencil Cases or Pouches 

• Loose-leaf Paper (wide-ruled and college-ruled) 

• Composition Books 

• Index Cards (3x5 lined) 

• Dry Erase Markers 

• Headphones/Earbuds (for classroom tech use) 

• Tissues (small packs for backpacks) 

• Hand Sanitizer or Sanitizing Wipes 

Low Prices Help Customers Give More 

Thanks to Fred Meyer’s commitment to affordable pricing, customers can find hundreds of school supplies for less than $3, including popular brands and classroom essentials. As a Crayola Best-in-Class retailer, Fred Meyer features trusted items from brands like Crayola®, Elmer’s®, Paper Mate®, Oxford®, and Top Flight®—many for $1 or less. 

Support In-Store or Online 

For those who prefer to contribute financially, monetary donations can be made online at: 
https://cascade.salvationarmy.org/ 
Funds will be used to fill in supply gaps and ensure every child receives what they need. 

*Donations made at Fred Meyer stores in the Portland area will be collected and distributed by Schoolhouse Supplies. 

About The Salvation Army 

The Salvation Army annually helps 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services.  By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country.  In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit.  For more information on The Salvation Army Cascade Division, please visit https://cascade.salvationarmy.org/.   

About Fred Meyer 

Fred Meyer Stores, based in Portland, Ore., offers one-stop shopping at its 132 multi-department stores in four western states. More than 39,000 Fred Meyer associates help customers fill their food, apparel, and general merchandise needs in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Stores range in size from 65,000 to 200,000 square feet and carry more than 250,000 products under one roof. Additionally, Fred Meyer contributes $5 million to communities across the Northwest each year through grants from the Fred Meyer Foundation as well as product donations, cash donations and sponsorships. Fred Meyer also donates 6 million pounds of food to local food banks each year via the Food Rescue Program. Fred Meyer Stores is a division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR). For more information, please visit our Web site at www.fredmeyer.com.