What is Collecting for Kids?

Collecting for Kids (CfK) is a collaboration of several youth-oriented, not-for-profit and government agencies that have come together to consolidate community giving to children and families.  Our goal is to reduce the duplication of effort due to previous lack of collaboration by agencies and service clubs who take on these projects.  Our intention is to define the actual need in the community--and by working together, collect only what is truly needed.  The current focus is on back-to-school supplies.  More community giving events may be added later depending on demand and community acceptance.

What are the benefits of Collecting for Kids?

There are many benefits to tracking the community need for specific projects. The most significant is that the right items are collected, in the right amount, and can be available to the families who need the assistance.  Other benefits:

• Ensuring a community donation has a positive impact--getting the right quantity of school supplies selected and distributed to eliminate waste or surplus

• Reducing the confusion of who to call, and how to access

• Reducing staffing needs & storage costs (overhead) to already tight agency budgets

• Creating a community event that allows local business and service Clubs to participate in the distribution of collected supplies

• The health, wellness, and academic success of our local youth is supported

How does a local business or person get involved?

• What are we collecting? Check the list here   

• Sign up your group or business to participate

• Collect your items in the timeline requested

• Deliver collected items to pre-determined location (we'll have more info once location is confirmed)

How does a family get help through CfK?

• Collecting for Kids is working with Vina Moses' Back-to-School program for coordinating the back-to-school supply drive and distribution to families.  To sign your child/children up to receive supplies, contact Vina Moses directly.

• Participating agencies will also have a referral form (all families must meet income requirements to participate).

Recipients will be tracked in a shared database to ensure needs are met equally and reduce duplicate collection efforts.  Referring organizations view back-to-school supply giving as an activity outside of their core mission, therefore to preserve confidentiality, no client data will be provided or shared.

Why did Collecting for Kids get started?

United Way was approached by several agencies to facilitate a conversation around coordinating collections and distribution of Christmas/Holiday gifts.  After several meetings, the collective defined a more efficient way to collect for these special occasions:  by partnering with community organizations who are in the collection and distribution business, Vina Moses, and Love INC.  The following youth oriented agencies and organizations providing direct services to children and families are collaborating together in this effort:  Benton County Dept of Human Services, Benton County Juvenile department, Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis, CASA-Voices for Children, Children's Farm Home, and Jackson Street Youth Shelter.  Faculty from OSU College of Business are providing consulting services related to strategic development, supply chain management and competition.

How is this approach different from how items have been collected and distributed in the past?

Many agencies run their own collection and distribution programs, while asking many of the same local businesses and service clubs to support these individual efforts.  Consequently some of the agencies have seen families getting the same help from multiple programs.  This approach attempts to quantify the need and eliminated duplicate efforts.  With these changes we hope to reduce the number of asks on local businesses and support groups, while extending our reach to more families who may not normally come forward but could use the extra support.

Who is the Collecting for Kids steering committee?

Distribution Partners:  

Vina Moses, Love INC.

Youth-related Non-profit Partners

Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis, CASA-Voices for Children, Children's Farm Home, Jackson Street Youth Shelter

Successful Government Agencies:  

Commission on Children & Families, Dept. of Human Services, Benton County Juvenile Dept, 509J School District

Supply Chain Consulting 

Oregon State University, College of Business

Neutral Convener:  

United Way of Benton & Lincoln Counties