Honest Arizona's Back-to-School Supply Drive Highlights Need to Support Public Education

TUCSON — Arizona students are getting back into the swing of things, and non-profit Honest Arizona successfully concluded its back-to-school supply drive, collecting hundreds of essential items for students across the state to help parents and teachers save money. 

Honest Arizona collected over 450 school supplies and uniforms for students at Ochoa Community School and Elvira Elementary School.

"Teachers cannot afford to fund their own classrooms, yet they do anyway because of their commitment to a quality education for their students," said Kelley Brooks-Cavaletto, principal at Elvira Elementary. "We are so incredibly grateful for the efforts of Honest Arizona and other community members to help bring these materials into the hands of our students and tools to our teachers this school year."

"Access to basic school supplies is a fundamental component of educational success, but many families across Arizona struggle to provide these essentials, particularly in underfunded public school districts," said Andrea Moreno, Executive Director of Honest Arizona. "By ensuring students have the necessary tools, we help level the playing field, allowing every child to focus on learning rather than what they lack."

"Without school supply drives like this, our teachers end up filling the need for our students and paying for supplies themselves," said Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva. "Our schools have been starved for decades with reduced funding for our public schools. Every child deserves access to all of the tools they need to be successful in school and not every family can afford these necessary items, so I’m glad Honest Arizona is here to fill the gap."

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