More than 1,000 items collected in second annual school supplies drive

Tutor Teach staff and volunteers sorted through donated school supplies for the second annual Give 4 Grades event in Avonmore Park on July 17, 2025. (CTV News Edmonton/Evan Klippenstein)

Although the school year just came to a close, community members are showing up to make sure kids in need have the supplies to succeed.

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More than 1,000 school items were collected through an initiative called Give 4 Grades, spearheaded by Lara Courtepatte, in partnership with the Bissell Centre.

“The focus of this program is to accrue donations of school supplies – gently used or new – for students in need who may not have access to resources,” Courtepatte told CTV News Edmonton Thursday.

She said community members from Edmonton and surrounding areas have been donating to the cause.

“They stood by the mission of supporting young minds and helping them grow in their education, giving them equal opportunities that all students have,” said Courtepatte.

Courtepatte is the co-founder of Tutor Teach, a tutoring organization that works to provide a unique education support framework.

With the supplies gathered, Give 4 Grades is able to fill 28 backpacks for kids from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Remaining items will be donated to families individually.

Several staff and volunteers sorted through items at the one-day event in Avonmore Park Thursday morning. They’ve been accepting donations for the last month and a half.

“It would be our dream to keep growing this bigger and bigger every year,” said Courtepatte. “The goal is to get more people to understand the needs of the community that requires these supplies and participate in getting them.”

If people are still looking to contribute, Tutor Teach can be contacted through email or social media.

Donations can also be dropped off at the Bissell Thrift Shop on Alberta Avenue Mondays to Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.