With the start of the school year just around the corner, the annual Escambia County Cram-A-Thon will take place on Thursday, July 21. The Cram the Van school supply drive, celebrating 17 years of service, is hosted in partnership with Sandy Sansing Dealerships, WEAR ABC 3, WFGX 35, and United Way. Cat Country 98.7, NewsRadio 1620, Soft Rock 94.1, MAGIC 106.1, NASH 102.7, JET 100.7, 1370 WCOA and the Pensacola News Journal provide additional media support for this initiative. In 2015, over $100,000 worth of school supplies were distributed to 64 area schools.
Each year, the program greatly benefits local teachers and students by supplementing the school supplies that parents purchase. Judy Labounty, Principal at Global Learning Academy said, “We really rely on Cram the Van and use the school supplies we receive to subsidize materials used in the classroom. Teachers often use their own money to buy supplies. So we would be in dire straits without this program.â€
Escambia County’s Cram-A-Thon takes place on July 21 at the following locations:
Walmart – Mobile Highway
6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
WEAR ABC 3 will be live from 6 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Soft Rock 94.1 will be live during the day.
Walmart – Creighton Road
6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Cat Country 98.7 and NewsRadio 1620 will be live from 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Santa Rosa County’s Cram-A-Thon takes place on July 28 at the following locations:
Walmart – Tiger Point
6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
WEAR ABC 3 will be live from 6 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Soft Rock 94.1 will be live during the day.
Walmart – Pace
6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Cat Country 98.7 and NewsRadio 1620 will be live from 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Businesses and individuals may still get involved by hosting a collection drive, volunteering, or making a donation. There are several public Cram the Van collection boxes located across the community where individuals can drop off school supplies. Please visit the United Way of Escambia County website at www.unitedwayescambia.org/cramthevan for locations, a full list of requested supplies, and other ways to participate.
Parents should dial 2-1-1 for further instructions on how to notify their child’s school of the need for supplies.
For more information, call 850.434.3157 or email cramthevan@unitedwayescambia.org.