Essentia Health helps area students get ready for school

With the school year just around the corner, Essentia Health is once again stepping up for a good cause to help area students and their families.

Essentia is proud to support and sponsor the 26th annual United Way of Cass-Clay School Supply Drive. From June 25 through July 23, thousands of supplies necessary for a successful school year were collected throughout the Fargo-Moorhead area.

This year's goal is to provide 6,000 local students with a backpack and a set of school supplies. As a "Hero Sponsor" for the fourth year in a row, Essentia contributed $10,000 to help ensure this goal could be met.

"Essentia Health is one of United Way's critical partners in making this event possible every single year," explained Tiff McShane, senior director of community engagement at United Way. "They have stepped up tremendously for students in our community to ensure that they have the basic supplies and the confidence with them as they embark on their school year this fall. We are just incredibly grateful for their support."

Crayons, backpacks, binders, notebooks and other supplies filled tables and bins throughout the entrance to the FARGODOME, where 35 Essentia volunteers gathered in the afternoon.

Over the course of an hour, volunteers filled 500 backpacks for students in grades 6-8 with school supplies including:

• 7,500 pencils
• 1,500 folders
• 3,000 pens
• 1,000 highlighters

"We are called to make a healthy difference in people's lives and one of the best ways we can support the overall health of our community is by showing up with our colleagues, giving our time, talents and financial contributions to support kids as they go back to school," said Thomas Hill, Essentia's community relations program manager and one of the afternoon’s volunteers.

Al Hurley, chief operating officer for Essentia's West Market, was also among the group helping to fill backpacks of all colors.

"This is what we do, participating in our community, focusing on families in need and those that need that stress taken away from them," Hurley explained, adding that volunteering was an exhilarating experience.

"It was fun. It was great to be with our team, to work together as we always do but focused on the community," he added. "This is a blessing and an opportunity we look forward to every year."

The filled backpacks will be available to K-12 students in need who live or attend school in Cass or Clay counties.

Families are invited to pick up backpacks at the FARGODOME on the following days:

• 4:30-6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31
• 4:30-6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1
• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2

Learn more about the backpack pick up events at unitedwaycassclay.org.