A box of crayons. A package of number two pencils. Blank notebook paper. A new backpack.

For many, there’s joy in getting new supplies for school. But not every parent can afford to fill the list of needed supplies.
That’s where the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) and its partners come in. Setting a goal of collecting school supplies for 5,000 backpacks to be distributed to students in grades pre-K through 12th, the NCSO will hold its 5th Annual Back to School Supply Giveaway Saturday, July 23 from noon to 5 p.m. at Newton High School, 1 Ram Way, Covington.

“The Newton County Sheriff’s Office realizes every child is our responsibility,” said Sheriff Ezell Brown. “As leaders of the community, we not only look at our day-to-day duties, but also to the needs of children, adults, families and communities as a whole because we consider ourselves to be servants in the community.

“As a Sheriff’s Office, we have to lead and do so by example,” he said. “The Back to School initiative is one of many community based projects we are involved in on an annual basis.”

During the giveaway, the Newton County Department of Family and Children Services will offer health screenings.

In 2015, the NCSO gave away 4,101 book bags filled with supplies appropriate for each grade level, pre-K through 12th grade

“With the 2016 Back to School initiative, our goal is to fill and disseminate 5,000 book bags filled with supplies,” Brown said. “These book bags will ensure our children are prepared and ready to learn with all the tools necessary on their first day of school.

Last year’s partners were The Salvation Army Service Center in Covington, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.-Chi Tau Omega Chapter, the Washington Street Community Center, Baxalta, and The Covington News. In addition to the partners, over 125 individual volunteers and representatives of more than 23 youth and community organizations helped support the Back to School Supply Giveaway.

“Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Chi Tau Omega Chapter has been supporting the Newton County Back to School Giveaways for 10 years, dating back to 2006 when the giveaways were being held at Washington Street Community Center,” said Joy Jackson Guilford, a member of the local chapter of the sorority. “Every four years, the sorority has international program initiatives that they implement in the communities they serve.”

Guilford said the local chapter of the sorority had participated in giveaways through different programs, and Alpha Kappa Alpha has set an international goal to provide one million backpacks to children in the various communities by 2018.
“We have been a proud gold sponsor and premier partner in the planning and implentation process with the sheriff's office,” she said. “Although we are on summer hiatus from our membership meetings in July and August each year, we look forward to assisting with the school supply giveaways!”

Like the Chi Tau Omega Chapter, The Salvation Army has been a community partner with the NCSO’s school supply giveaway for a number of years.

“The Salvation Army is a community partner with the NCSO Back to School Supply Giveaway because I see the need all year long in our community,” said Jody Carver, Service Center Director for The Salvation Army in Covington. “Helping provide basic school supplies for these children give them the tools and confidence they need to begin their new school year.”

Shire, formerly Baxalta, partners with the NCSO on the giveaway because it “is committed to engaging with the communities surrounding our Georgia facility, including building and sustaining strong partnerships with local organizations and our school systems and students,” said Gabriel Khouli, Communications Specialist with Shire in Social Circle. “Through our business resource groups, which are employee-led teams focused on activities such as professional development and volunteering, for the past two years our generous employees have led the effort to donate funds and school supplies for the Newton County Sheriff’s Office Back to School supply drive.”

This year, Newton County Department of Family and Children Services joins last year’s partners to support the giveaway.
To receive a book bag with supplies, fill out an application for Back to School supplies at the Newton County Sheriff’s Office web site at http://www.newtonsheriffga.org/PDF/Back_to_school_application_2016.pdf+

The Back to School Supply Giveaway is just one of the programs the NCSO supports. Brown said the NCSO partners with the Newton County Minister’s Union during Thanksgiving to feed over 1,000 people and hosts the Toy Ride and assists over 1,000 families at Christmas. Other programs NCSO offers are Choosing Healthy Activities and Methodist Promoting Safety, or C.H.A.M.P.S., a community-based project that has graduated over 15,000 fifth grade students since it began.