With this year's Stock the Lockers campaign nearing its closing date, it's still tough to say if the drive will hit its $50,000 target.
2014 marks the fifth year the foundation's campaign has raised cash to provide school supplies and meals to underprivileged children and fund various fees, scholarships and bursaries.
This year's Stock the Lockers campaign closes Thursday (Sept. 4), but as of Friday, donations tallied about $15,000, said Erin van Steen, executive director of the Nanaimo-Ladysmith Schools Foundation. She expects a lot more money will come in by the campaign's close.
"There's a bunch of different fundraisers still going on and I'm trying to connect with the [Coastal Community] Credit Union and other organizations that are doing fundraising, so I haven't heard from all of them," van Steen said. "At this stage, what I know of – I know there's more, but what I actually know of – there's about $15,000, but there's lots of stuff still going on."
Stock the Lockers 2013 raised about $38,000.
As of Friday, foundation directors and volunteers were getting the first shipments of supplies ready sent out to local schools.
"We're just going to move forward and whatever we get is awesome," van Steen said.
To learn more or to donate, please call the foundation at 250-753-4074 or visit www.nlsf.ca.
Donations can also be made at Nanaimo area Staples stores and Coastal Community Credit Union branches.