Back to School at Place of Hope

For the children, youth, and families in our care, the start of a new school year is more than backpacks and pencils—it is a fresh chance to belong, to be prepared, and to walk into the classroom feeling like every other kid. Many of the children Place of Hope serves have come from homes marked by trauma, instability, or neglect, and something as simple as a new uniform or a full supply list can restore a sense of dignity and normalcy at a pivotal moment.

When our community rallies behind these students, we are not just helping them meet a supply list—we are telling them they matter, they are seen, and they are set up to succeed. Your support this Back-to-School season helps give every child in our programs the tools and confidence they need for a strong start to the school year.

Shop Our Back to School Registry

Three spiral notebooks are stacked slightly askew. The top one, open to a blank, lined page, evokes untold stories and fresh beginnings—much like the uncertain journeys faced by aging out & homeless youth. Beneath it, the covers of the red and blue notebooks peek through, representing layers of experience still waiting to be written.

Seventeen colored pencils arranged vertically in a row, showing a gradient from black, browns, reds, oranges, yellows, greens, to light and dark blues on a white background—a subtle representation of the diverse journeys faced by aging out and homeless youth.

A blue backpack with a large front pocket holding a notebook and two pencils, and the main compartment partially unzipped, revealing folders and notebooks inside—a simple yet vital resource for aging out & homeless youth as they navigate school and new beginnings.

A white 4 fl oz bottle of Elmer’s School Glue with an orange twist cap. The label reads Washable, No Run, School Glue, Safe, Non-Toxic—a trusted supply in classrooms and creative spaces serving all students, including those supporting aging out & homeless youth.

Supplies We're Collecting

For those who prefer to shop or donate directly, here is our current wish list of most-needed items:

Our Campuses

Items may also be dropped off at any of our four campus locations,
Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM:

Backpacks & lunch boxes (big and little kid sizes)
School uniforms (plain white, red, or blue tops; navy or khaki bottoms – all sizes)
EXPO dry erase markers
3-hole punches
Binders (1″, 1.5″, 2″, 3″)
Handheld pencil sharpeners
Pencil pouches (for binders)
Elmer’s glue sticks (small)
Scissors (various sizes)
Colored pencils
Crayons
Multi-colored highlighters
3×3 Post-it notes
TI-30Xa calculators
Purell hand sanitizer
Reams of copy paper – white and assorted colors (pink, blue, yellow, green)
Paper towels (rolls)
Disinfectant wipes (Lysol or Clorox)
Tissue boxes
Ziploc bags (sandwich or gallon size)
Wired headphones
Index cards