Some parents facing affordability challenges with increased school supply prices
With the first day of classes looming, some parents shopping for school supplies are facing affodability challenges with higher priced essentials.
The Salvation Army backpack program provides bags filled with supplies for those who can’t afford to buy their own. This year, there’s a combination of factors that have increased demand.
“It is unprecedented. I know last year we had significant phone calls, but this year has even gone beyond that,” Salvation Army Temple Lt. Derek Kerr said.
All the donations to the Salvation Army program is provided by donors. The group typically aims to give out 1,500 backpacks.
“We could’ve probably doubled that,” Kerr said.
Kerr is attributing up the increased need to what they’re hearing from recipients.
“The cost of school supplies, like everything else, has increased significantly over the past year,” he said.
School supplies shoppers tended to agree.
“Some things (have) similar (costs) and some items seems more expensive for sure,” Lindsay Kelleher said as she shopped for her two children.
Kelleher spent over $100 on just one bag of supplies. She found glue sticks to be quite expensive compared to other years and with children in Grade 1 and Grade 4, those are essentials on the list.
The pandemic is also playing a part, according to other shoppers noting the return to a regular in-person schedule of classes and a lack of restrictions for the first school year since 2019.
At the Salvation Army, staff were prepping for distribution next week and looking ahead to next year with increased demand.
“So hopefully next year we’ll be able to increase that number and help more children,” Kerr said.
The first day of classes for Saskatoon Public Schools and Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools is Sept. 1.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.