Tools For Schools Special Edition!
Greetings Eblen Charities friends and family! We hope you are staying safe and doing well.

When the 2020 School Year begins..
More students in our community will need more help than ever before.
Together, with our partners, we are making it easier than ever before to
take part in this amazing event by providing multiple ways to help.

Please feel free to forward this Special Edition of our newsletter to inform others about how they can help local students, and we thank you for all that you do with Eblen Charities! 
#NowMoreThanEver
The 2020 Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive would not be possible without our partners!

It wouldn't be 2020 without a unique set of challenges to our daily or annual routine, and Tools for Schools has been no exception. Words can not express how thankful we are at Eblen Charities for the hard work and dedication that our partners have put into making sure the 12th Annual Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive would not only continue as always; but also rise above the challenge by presenting an opportunity to be more successful than ever in a time the students of our community need it most.

We would like to thank Ingles Markets for sponsoring the event, hosting us at their 29 Tunnel Road location and providing the tractor trailer to transport all the supplies back to Westgate. Also thanks to WLOS-TV and iHeart Media Asheville for joining us and helping make the day fun, getting the word out for the event and need in our community. Lastly, thanks to Asheville Citizen-Times for additional publicity, as we gear up for the annual event in order to give local students the tools they need to succeed during the school year.
The 4 ways Anyone Can Contribute
Text to Give!
Text "STUDENT" to 345345
Monetary donations are a priority this year, not only for those who would prefer to shelter in place at home, but for our students as well, who may unexpectedly need some items more than others.
All funds that are received will serve of great importance towards purchasing items that will be needed most as students navigate through the beginning of the school year. We hope Text to Give will provide a great option to get involved quickly and easily.
Crowdfunding Through Your Business, Organization or On Your Own
With the addition of our new website came the implementation of our first crowdfunding application in May with the Valley Springs XC Virtual Fundraiser. The team raised over $4,000 for Covid-19 relief and inspired many along the way.

It is hard to imagine a Tools for Schools effort without all the small businesses and organizations that have played such a vital role, year after year.
With many small businesses struggling or working from home - Online Crowdfunding can prove to be a fun and welcoming alternative to the collecting or sponsorship they may be used to.

Through creative crowdfunding - it only takes 1 person and miles of heart to start a wave of kindness rippling throughout our community to help a much needed cause that may be at risk of being overlooked at such a crucial moment.

Please visit the link below or contact Amanda Putnam at aputnam@eblencharities.org for more information. This new program is fun, simple to use and a great way to get your organization involved
Look for our Tools for Schools Collection Boxes
at Area Ingles Markets
This year more than 30 local Ingles Markets will be participating in the largest collection effort to date! While out shopping, just remember to grab a few items off the supply list and drop them in the box on the way out. The official list of participating stores will be located at the bottom of this newsletter.

On behalf of the community we would like to thank them again for their efforts!

The school supplies donated at these stores will be distributed to the school system in that county.
The Official Student Supply List for 2020
Book Bags, Hand Sanitizer, Wide/College Ruled Paper, Composition Notebooks (non-spiral), Dry Erase Markers, Pencils, Pencil Sharpeners, Pens, Colored Pencils, Markers, Glue, Highlighters, Rulers, Index Cards, Crayons, Erasers, Notebooks, Folders, Zip Lock Bags, Kleenex, Pencil Boxes and Pouches, Scissors, Graph Paper, Post-it Notes, and Clorox Wipes

For more information, please call the Eblen Charities office at 828-255-3066.
The ( Super-Safe-Social-Distancing Drive-Thru Only )
Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive
Join us at the Ingles at 29 Tunnel Rd, Wednesday, August 5th for the 12th Annual Ingles Tools for Schools Supply Drive to benefit Eblen Charities. More than fourteen hundred children received school supplies last year thanks to the generous community of people, area businesses and supporters.

This event is a great opportunity to bring the community together, from a safe distance, to give support to students, teachers, school administration, staff, and parents in helping make sure that students who cannot afford the proper school supplies will have what they need to begin a successful school year.

Volunteers will be taking donated items from cars, and sanitizing them before they are sorted and put into boxes graciously donated by Two Men and a Truck . Donors will be asked to stay in their vehicles to ensure social distancing is maintained.
Tools For Schools Distribution Day
The school supplies will be distributed on Wednesday, August 12th at the north end of the Westgate Shopping Center in West Asheville from 9AM to 5PM.

Families must sign up on the Eblen Charities website beginning Friday, July 31st*. Due to the pandemic, and COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, e veryone one will need to pre-register for an appointment time in order to receive school supplies. In order to maintain safety protocols. Children who are registered will receive a bag of supplies for their grade level as long as supplies last. Masks will be required for anyone attending the school supply distribution. Due to spacing requirements, we are asking only one family member attend unless family members are interested in the Ingles Pharmacy Vaccination Clinic.

For the fourth year, the Ingles Pharmacy in partnership with the Buncombe County Health Department will provide access to free vaccinations that are required for children entering kindergarten, rising 7th graders and rising 12th graders who are now required to have a Meningitis booster shot. Dr. Drew Schnyder with Family Care Black Mountain/Old Fort will be available to offer health screenings for kindergartners.

If your children are in need of immunizations, please bring health and immunization records, as well as any health insurance information.

  • Call 828-255-3066 to register if no internet access
Help Us Get the Word Out!
Just getting the word out can be more help than you would believe!
Included below are images that you can find on our social media, and in stores. We are making them available here so you can download to share online or print out for your use.
Ingles Markets Locations
Ingles Markets is also collecting school supplies at area Ingles in surrounding counties. The school supplies donated at these stores will be distributed to the school system in that county.
Buncombe County
Ingles - 7 Leicester Hwy
Asheville, NC 28806

Ingles - 915 Merrimon Ave
Asheville, NC 28804

Ingles - 1141 Tunnel Rd
Asheville, NC 28805

Ingles - 669 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806

Ingles - 29 Tunnel Rd
Asheville, NC 28805

Ingles - 550 Hwy 9
Black Mountain, NC 28711

Ingles - 499 Weaverville Rd
Asheville, NC 28804

Ingles - 863 Brevard Rd
Asheville, NC 28806
Ingles - 1865 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803

Ingles - 151 Smokey Park Hwy
Asheville, NC 28806

Ingles - 2299 US 70 Hwy
Swannanoa, NC 28778

Ingles - 575 New Leicester Hwy
Asheville, NC 28806

Ingles - 780 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803

Ingles - 225 Charlotte Hwy
Asheville, NC 28803

Ingles - 301 Long Shoals Rd
Asheville, NC 28704

Ingles - 1572 Sand Hill Rd
Candler, NC 28715

Ingles - 140 Weaver Blvd
Weaverville, NC 28787
Henderson County
Ingles - 1980 Asheville Hwy
Hendersonville, NC 28792

Ingles - 2901 Hendersonville Rd
Fletcher, NC 28732

Ingles - 6400 Brevard Rd
Etowah, NC 28729

Ingles - 625 Spartanburg Hwy
Hendersonville, NC 28739
Ingles - 1705 Brevard Hwy
Hendersonville, NC 28739

Ingles - 3338 Boylston Hwy
Mills River, NC 28759

Ingles - 220 N. Highland Lake Rd
Flat Rock, NC 28731

Ingles - 3643 Howard Gap Rd/US 64
Hendersonville, NC 28739
Haywood County
Ingles - 201 Barber Blvd
Waynesville, NC 28786

Ingles - 630 Champion Drive
Canton, NC 28716
Ingles - 1670 Brown Avenue
Waynesville, NC 28786
Madison County
Ingles - 5580 Hwy25/70
Marshall, NC 28786
Ingles - Carl Eller Rd
Mars Hill, NC 28786
Transylvania County
Ingles - 684 North Broad St
Brevard, NC 28712


Don't miss the chance to be part of this amazing event!
It's Not Too Late to Volunteer!
Contact Us
Mary Ann McMinn
mcminn120@gmail.com to volunteer.
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