School may look and feel a little different this year, but one thing remains the same: students need school supplies and clothing. Ready Set School stayed true to its mission and provided all eligible K-12 students who attend school in Winona County with just that! Over 1,100 students requested vouchers this year. This was a large increase over last year (800) and a five-year high. The Board of Directors didn’t hesitate to make sure we could give each of those students the maximum amount of money we could in a voucher form. And even after committing to over $66,000 in vouchers, the Board worked to collect backpacks and school supplies for the families in need that reached out after the voucher program was closed. Over the entire County, Ready Set School gave out an additional 100 backpacks full of school supplies in August.
Along with these stats and good feelings, we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge that we wouldn’t exist without the generous community we live in. We want to thank you, the community, for hearing the plea and leaning into Ready Set School’s mission this year. Thank you to those who wrote checks and placed them in the mail. Thank you to those who hosted and participated in our fundraising events and put a little extra money in the donation buckets. Thank you to those who bought school supplies and donated them directly to RSS. We couldn’t help students in need without generous community members like you.
School is officially in session! Ready Set School wishes students, teachers, and families the best, and we remind you that we are here if you need us.
Mandi Olson, Director
readysetschool@gmail.com
