Keystone Community Services

School Supply Drive

Each year, Keystone collects donations from the community and distributes filled backpacks to youth going back to school.

Support Our Local Students

Donate supplies to our annual school supply drive now through August 15, 2025. Youth will be heading back to school soon, which means that back-to-school shopping is near! Shopping for school supplies can seem daunting for families with lower incomes as their budgets are stretched due to the rise of the costs for food, gas, and other bills. Each year, Keystone collects donations from the community and distributes filled backpacks to youth going back to school.

Donation Drop-Offs

Donations of school supplies can be dropped off at the Merriam Park Community Center, 2000 St. Anthony Ave, St. Paul, MN 55104

Donations can be dropped off at this location Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Please do not drop donations off outside of Keystone’s hours. In order to ensure quality, we are unable accept donations left outside and these items will be discarded.

Most Needed School Supplies

We welcome a variety of school supplies and have created a list of the most needed items. Items should be in new condition, no used school supplies will be accepted.

Most needed items are:

  • Backpacks
  • Notebooks
  • Pencil Bags/Boxes
  • Crayons
  • Markers
  • Colored Pencils
  • Erasers
  • Folders
  • Pens
  • Highlighters
  • #2 Pencils
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Pencil Sharpeners

If you have a special item in mind to donate or have questions about our donation process, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

In addition to school supply donations, you can help us stretch your dollars even further and support more of our neighbors by giving a financial gift.

Give a financial gift today 

School Supply Donation FAQ

  • Will I receive a receipt for my donation of in-kind gifts?

    At the time of the donation drop-off, you will be asked to fill out an in-kind donation slip and will have the option to receive a copy for your personal records.

    Please note that Keystone does not estimate the value of tax value of in-kind gifts. This is the privilege and responsibility of the donor.

  • Will Keystone pick up the items I am donating?

    We kindly request that donations are dropped off at Keystone in order to best honor staff time capacity. If you have concerns or questions about dropping off donations, please give us a call at 651-645-0349 or email us and we will work with you to ensure your donation gets to Keystone!

  • What if someone would like to contribute a monetary gift?

    Financial support is essential to ensuring Keystone can provide food support and other critical resources to neighbors in need. Monetary gifts are always appreciated!

    Cash or check gifts can be dropped off at the same time you donate supplies. It would be great if you could collect these donations in an envelope and give the staff a heads up so it doesn’t get mixed in with food items.

    All checks can be made payable to: Keystone Community Services. You can also direct the kind community member to make a donation online.