Moncton Headstart is being forced to close its school supply applications a week early.
The deadline for families in need to apply was originally next week.
Executive Director Caroline Donelle says they’ve been overwhelmed, “We’re also running out of supplies. We’ve had no backpacks, we’re actually handing out school supplies today in cloth bags. We’re quite aware of how tight things have become and to avoid disappointment we’re basically telling people we can’t accept any more applications.”
She says around 700 applications have come in so far, “We fulfilled a little over 800 last year, so we’re getting close. We’re closing it a week early because of limited supply.”
Donelle believes the economy is just one reason for the decline.
“Backpacks, calculators. We are really limited on supplies for the older kids. Those are the ones we are really struggling with, and we literally have no backpacks that don’t have cartoon characters on them which we wouldn’t give to high school kids,” Donelle adds.
Anyone who has applied as of Tuesday, August 23, will receive school supplies for their children, but they stopped accepting applications as of Wednesday morning.
Donations can be dropped off at the Moncton headstart location on Mountain Road or at any participating Jean Coutu locations.
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