June 25, 2026
BY JOHN BAILEY
It’s only June, but the Catawba County United Way School Supply Drive is already getting started. This annual outreach event will run through the month of July and benefits all public school students in the county, but the impact of this event is about more than just the donations.
“You’re not just dropping off notebooks, pencils and backpacks, you are providing a sense of normalcy to the children who walk through our doors every August,” South Newton Elementary counselor Quinton Knight said during this year’s CCUW School Supply Drive luncheon.
“You ensure that on day one, every single child can stand on equal footing, ready to learn without their families having to carry the financial burden that often comes with the start of school.”
According to 2025 data from the NC Department of Public Instruction, all three public school districts in Catawba County (Catawba County, Hickory City and Newton-Conover school districts) have more than 50% of their students classified as economically disadvantaged.
Last year, in an effort to help families facing this challenge, the United Way’s School Supply Drive collected nearly 15,000 items with help from 30 community partners.
For 2026, those partners currently include: Smurfit West Rock, Peoples Bank Corporate Office, Peoples Bank Claremont Branch, St. Aloysius Catholic Church Hickory, Ashure Ministry, Hickory Community Yoga and Wellness, Catawba Valley Healthcare, Shurtape Technologies, Patrick, Harper & Dixon Law, Catawba County Partnership for Children, Corning, Century Furniture, Carolina Containers, Catawba Valley Insurance Agency, Adult Life Programs, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company, Hickory Chair, ZF Chassis, Publix Super Market in Hickory, Newton Elks Lodge, Malorie’s Place, Tommy's Express Car Wash, Senior TLC, HSM Solutions, Civic Federal Credit Union, Jim N’ Nick’s BBQ, Transportation Insight, Woodforest National Bank (Conover), Starbucks Coffee.
While the CCUW office (2760 Tate Blvd SE in Hickory) is the primary public drop-off location for donations. The United Way is appreciative of all those local companies and organizations who sign up as collection partners every year.
If you’d like to join this group and host a school supply drive, contact John Bailey at United Way, 828-327-6851 or email jbailey@ccunitedway.com.
Families can access donations through their school’s social workers or other school personnel starting in late August.
Knight recalled experiencing the impact of this drive the August after Hurricane Helene.
About two weeks following the storm, he was introduced to a mother and her two young children. The family was from the Chimney Rock area. They lost everything when their home was washed away. They relocated to Catawba County, and the mom needed to enroll her children at South Newton Elementary.
“It was through tears that she mentioned they had lost everything and didn’t have any school supplies,” Knight said. “As soon as she mentioned school supplies, I held out my hand and told her and the kids to follow me.”
Because of the donations made that August, including through the United Way School Supply Drive, Knight was able to give the family two well stocked bookbags as well as some new clothes.
“The mother, struggling back her tears, was extremely grateful,” Knight said. “I told her we’re always glad to help, and welcome home.”
What’s Needed
Classroom supplies: 3-ring binders, backpacks, spiral notebooks, graph paper, pens, pencils, glue sticks, erasers, folders, crayons, colored pencils, ear buds/headphones, markers, scissors, pencil boxes, dry erase markers, composition books, 3x5 index cards, drawstring backpacks.
Personal hygiene products: Kleenex, cleaning wipes, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products.
Not able to make it to the store?
The CCUW is accepting monetary donations mailed to the Catawba County United Way – P.O. Box 2425, Hickory, NC 28603 and make sure to mention the School Supply Drive. You can also donate online at the CCUW’s website: https://www.ccunitedway.com/form/donate. All monetary donations go directly to the school districts.
Learn more about the drive at - https://www.ccunitedway.com/catawba-county-united-way-school-supply-drive.
PHOTO Cutline:
Last year, United Way volunteers helped count and sort the nearly 15,000 items collected to help local students start their school year with the tools they need to succeed. Catawba County United Way photo.