There are over 15,000 students in Boulder County who qualify for free and reduced lunch. The cost of basic school supplies ($60–$80 per student) presents a financial burden for many of these students’ families.
Crayons to Calculators is a partnership between Impact on Education and the Education Foundation for the St. Vrain Valley to ensure that all students in Boulder County have what they need to start the year off right. The program began in 2008, with a total of 4,800 backpacks collected and distributed to students in Boulder County. This number has grown to over 10,000.
Crayons to Calculators fundraises, packs and distributes over 10,000 backpacks with grade appropriate school supplies. Half of the backpacks go to students in St. Vrain Valley School District and half go to students in the Boulder Valley School District.
Each school district stations a volunteer site in a local school over the summer. In St. Vrain, hundreds of volunteers helped pack backpacks at Sunset Middle School last summer.
Monetary and material donations are collected throughout the summer to meet the needs of the the students. Western Disposal donates $100,000 to the program at the start of the summer to allow half of the supplies to be purchased. The rest of the materials are collected and purchased throughout the summer. Many local businesses in the area host a collection site and donate backpacks and school supplies to the program.
Packed backpacks are delivered to schools before the start of the new school year. Families can arrive at school to pick out a brand new backpack with their school supplies inside of it. Additional backpacks are available after the school year begins for new students who enroll or for students who need replacement materials.
If you have any questions, please contact the Education Foundation at 720-652-8208 or Michelle Phelan, Community Liaison at 970-227-1859.
Want to volunteer?
The Crayons to Calcualtors team needs support to stuff backpacks ahead of the start of the 18-19 school year.
Please use this link to select the days and times you are able to help support students in our area.
We will be sorting and packing supplies at Sunset Middle School at 1300 South Sunset Street, Longmont.
A few items to share:
- Parker Nicholas, C2C Program Assistant will be coordinating our volunteer efforts.
- Volunteer times begin Monday, July 9th through Tuesday, July 31st.
- Use the parking on the west side of the school. (need to keep lanes open around the building)
- Please use door #8 when entering. You can not enter through the front doors. It is on the east side of the school.
- Check in when you arrive for your assignment.
- When filling out your info on the volunteer spot, please include the best way to contact you.
- If you are coordinating efforts for your organization, please include your organization info in the notes and fill out the number of shifts you can fill.