Tillie’s Touch preps for school supply giveaway

VILLAGE OF EAST SYRACUSE – Tillie’s Touch will host its annual school supply giveaway in East Syracuse on Saturday, Aug. 27.
Running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ellis Field Park on McCool Avenue, the summertime event and its fun atmosphere is tailored to helping students start their school year off on the right track.
All throughout, food will be served from the park’s concession stand as volunteers pass out grade-appropriate learning materials like folders, one-inch binders, notebooks and pencils. There will also be face painting stations, games of kickball and free haircuts for the kids in attendance.
Dale Johnson, the founder of the nonprofit, said members of the LeMoyne College men’s soccer team will be brought in to stuff backpacks with supplies and later hand them out to an anticipated crowd of over 800 children.
“If a backpack filled with some brand new school supplies can get a kid excited about going to school, then it’s well worth it,” Johnson said. “And not just for the first day, but the second and third days and every day after.”
He said that boost, alongside the support of dedicated teachers, will inspire students to excel academically.
“It’s also relaying the message that somebody cares within the community—that people are out there who care about their future,” Johnson said.
An ultimate goal for the organization is to play a part in lifting local children out of poverty through an emphasis on their studies. According to Johnson, that path leads from high school graduation to higher education and continues as they follow paying careers that they love.
With it being the 12th year of the one-day giveaway, Johnson said some high schoolers entering their senior year have obtained its free batches of supplies since kindergarten. In addition, some recipients have passed items down to siblings or younger friends.
Going into this summer, Tillie’s Touch had more leftovers than expected from last year’s event since that return to a non-drive-thru distribution was met with a below-average turnout. In Johnson’s view, that was a direct reflection of COVID concerns and the lessened usage of materials because of the switch to virtual learning.
“This time a year ago we were getting out of COVID, but there were still a lot of folks who were apprehensive about going into public places, so that definitely affected us a little bit,” he said.
Using Johnson’s eldest daughter’s middle name, Tillie’s Touch operates year-round as a youth program that provides athletic equipment to families living within area school districts. The organization raises money to purchase school supplies—usually with a goal of $10,000 in mind—through fundraisers like bottle and can drives and its pay-to-play Aug. 6 volleyball tournament at Trappers II Pizza & Pub that was also sponsored by other businesses.
If belongings are lost as the year goes on, Tillie’s Touch fills in with replacements too.
Sign-ups for the giveaway are taking place on tilliestouch.org and additional donations of supplies, monetary assistance and gently used clothing are welcomed.