YELLOWSTONE COUNTY — If you’ve started back-to-school shopping, you know it’s not cheap.
According to the National Retail Federation, the average back-to-school haul for one child could be upwards of $600.
Here in Yellowstone County, local organizations that support at-risk youth are seeking help from the community to meet the high demand of of prices during this year’s back-to-school season.
Learn ways to support youth at Family Promise or the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch below:
Yellowstone County organizations requesting community help this back-to-school season
On Sep. 2, students at Billings Public Schools are expected to begin the new school year. While the back-to-school season can be an exciting time, for some families, it’s a stressful and expensive time.
“A lot of our neighbors are struggling,” said Felicia Burg, the executive director of Family Promise of Yellowstone Valley. “You know, it’s not just people living with poverty anymore, it’s your literal neighbors, people you see everyday. It’s harder to make ends meet.”
Family Promise of Yellowstone Valley is a local nonprofit that supports families experiencing homelessness. One of the ways the organization supports this population is through their annual back-to-school sponsorship program.
“What we know is, back-to-school is a hard time for kids, especially when they’re dealing with homelessness,” said Burg.
This year, Family Promise is supporting 37 school-aged children. Currently, 14 children are still in need of sponsors.
Sponsors are responsible for purchasing the kid’s school supplies, back-to-school clothes, shoes, and any other necessary items.
“A lot of people like the younger elementary students because they have the sparkly shoes and the cool backpacks. But, our need is for our teenagers, junior high and high school students,” said Burg.
For community members interested in sponsoring a child, please contact Family Promise at (406) 294-7432. Sponsors will be matched with a child and their corresponding school supply list.
“We know statistically, kids that struggle with homelessness have a higher drop out rate. And we also know that education is the key… to break the cycle of poverty,” Burg said Friday.
Similar to Family Promise, the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation (YBGRF) is asking the community to help support it’s older children and teens.
The Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch is a local organization that provides behavioral and mental health treatment to children in need. While the organization supports children as young as kindergarten, they’re typically providing support to children between the ages of 13 and 17.
Children that live on the ranch also go to Yellowstone Academy, which is expected to begin on Aug. 27.
“If I had to guess, we probably have 300 to 500 kids that we’re helping in the community with their own school supplies,” said Keith Tresch, the superintendent of Yellowstone Academy.
According to Tresch, the foundation provides school supplies to students at Yellowstone Academy.
However, the YBGRF is asking the community to donate school supplies to kids outside of the ranch, as well as financial donations to Yellowstone Academy.
Financial donations to the YBGRF will go towards purchasing those school supplies for the students. When community members donate school supplies to the foundation house on 2050 Overland Avenue in Billings, those items will be given away to other students in the community.
“So, the kids that live on campus are the ones that we purchase all the supplies for. That limits the amount of items that they have access to here on campus, in treatment,” said Tresch.
To either make a financial or physical donation to the foundation, visit their physical office in Billings or call (406) 656-8772.
“I appreciate all the support that we get currently, and look forward to the support we get in the future,” said Tresch.
