School Supply Santa

07/24/2023

It’s been an interesting season for me NOT doing School Supply Santa, especially this time of year. I think of the all people and the ministry every day… especially right now. As much as I know the decision to retire, was exactly what God called me to do… it doesn’t remove the emotions of grief that comes with “birthing” something that you also said “goodbye” to, along with people you truly treasured and respected. I loved those people and treasured every relationship made! I miss them all… often.

It also doesn’t remove the desire for this amazing community to continue to support all the schools that they did by donating to School Supply Santa!

So I this is a 🚨CALL TO ACTION!🚨
It’s time to go do what you’ve done im the past, and bring your donations to one of the SCHOOLS STILL LISTED on our home page Website www.schoolsupplysanta.com

Please share this post to generate continual giving to our local schools.

We believe that every student should have the basic supplies they need in order to get a solid education. That’s why we help provide supplies...

08/30/2022

This Documentary of SSS landed in my inbox yesterday morning...
After watching it, I knew YOU ALL needed to watch it too...
Needless to say, a small flood of tears came as I watched. It may or may not have the same impact on you. But whatever the impact is, my sincerest desire is that you take 15 minutes to watch it. I believe this story is worth watching, sharing, and prayerfully will speak to YOU.
The gifted gentleman Nick Slagstad, founder of Nickels' Media, took what he witnessed and made this Documentary with ZERO feedback from any of 'us'. Nick, your gifts and talents exceed most!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3XCMQPYT2M

Thank you for sharing this FINAL journey with me!

08/26/2022

Santa is signing off♥️🤶🏼💛✍🏽

🤶🏼 The relationships made ~ forever
🤶🏼 The memories made ~ priceless
🤶🏼 The many stories shared ~ treasures
🤶🏼 The community entrusting me~ humbling
🤶🏼The faithfulness of God ~ sacred
🤶🏼 The victories ~ abundant
🤶🏼 The failures ~ growth
🤶🏼 The stumbling ~ “get back up again”
🤶🏼 The joys ~ fulfilling
🤶🏼 The volunteers ~ one of a kind
🤶🏼 Mike Gilpin (pictured below) ~ BEST President ever!

This journey of 15 years will stay with me (and my family) for a lifetime. I pray the legacy lives on through all of YOU, rising up and giving to the schools we served, gathering your own family and friends to give.

Santa may be signing off… but the giving and supporting schools NEVER needs to stop. I pass my baton to EACH ONE of you. Pick one of the 44 schools we served, and gather family and friends next year to buy school supplies and give to them. They simply need generous hearts who are willing to SEE THEM

🤶🏼 Our website will remain open until 12/23 with any questions you may have in the future about helping students. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me!
[email protected]

08/21/2022

As we wind down our last few posts and wrap up this year’s big school supply party one week ago today, we remember to be thankful for all of these amazing volunteers (and more!). We literally couldn’t have done this without you. Welcome committee, pick up loop, mental health loop, media center, car wash, prayer tent, hospitality tent, gift tent, traffic directors and more behind the scenes…it takes every last one!

Your heart for serving these schools was so evident in every minute of that of that day and all the prep leading up to it. To spend one of the last weekends of summer in service to others is one thing, but to do it with so much spirit and enthusiasm is truly a beautiful gift.

08/17/2022

Our 15th and FINAL School Supply Party was this past Sunday.

Honestly every time I sat down attempting to recap the day I was overwhelmed and couldn’t find the words. Now that we’ve had a few days to process there are a few things I’d like to share.

#1: We Hope above all that everyone touched by School Supply Santa this year and every year before truly feels seen, known, and deeply loved. Not just by us, but even more-so by the Heavenly Father. If you have more questions about who He is, please don’t hesitate to message and ask.

#2: Overwhelming Gratitude for the relationships built through this ministry and for the outpouring of community support for students and school staff they will never meet or get “credit” for.

#3: This was truly a celebration and we came at it with everything we have. We loaded up those teacher vehicles TO.THE.BRIM with necessary tools their students need so they don’t have to buy them out of pocket. THEN every school went home with 2 Big Joe chairs and a bag full of mental health tools. Every elementary got wobble chairs and tent swings for their counseling offices. Every high school got 45 days worth of free bus passes for students who sacrifice the convenience of a school bus to better themselves. Jaws were dropping. I can’t even articulate how impactful these items are that would have otherwise been cost prohibitive. Thank you to ALL the board, volunteers, sponsors and individuals who made this possible.

Even though this was the last hurrah for school supply Santa, we know that God will continue to use this community to provide all our schools stand in need of and ask that you continue lifting them up in prayer.

08/14/2022

Today is the day!!!! The Grand Finale of School Supply SANTA is here!!!

We are celebrating 15 years of ministry today and you know we’ve got to go out with a BANG. Stay tuned and keep an eye on our stories today to see the result of all of our AMAZING community support…that’s YOU 😉

08/14/2022

It's hard to express the amount of volunteer hours and heart go into this ministry. Today was only one piece of the process but here you can get a glimpse 1 second for every minute of packing day.

In case you were wondering; these supplies have been collected and shopped for all year long, stored in the basement of Byron Center Chiropractic, moved from the basement to the media center of West Middle School, sorted, separated into uniform groups, counted. Now after today they are packed and organized by school. Tomorrow they well be carried out of the media center to be loaded into teacher vehicles. It's a labor of love.

08/12/2022

To you, this may look like a nice couple and a woman staring at a piece of paper.

To School Supply Santa, these people are priceless. They are lovingly referred to as “the brains” behind this entire operation and have been since the beginning. When a teacher says to us “this is even better than Chik-fil-a!” It’s all thanks to these two, Mike and Erin Gilpin.

They work tirelessly behind the scenes, never asking for anything in return, not even liking when paparazzi snatches a picture of them but without them we could NOT do what we do, let alone with the efficiency we do it with.

Yesterday everyone was here sorting donations and tomorrow they’ll all be back for packing day so today looks like a day off on the schedule. Not for Mike and Erin. This is the day they work their magic. They count, re-count, spreadsheet and divide thousands of school supplies among 44 schools by need. Then tomorrow they’ll make sure it’s all organized so that we know who gets what at the party Sunday.

Thank you doesn’t even begin to express our gratitude. But please JOIN US in thanking them for all they’ve done for this ministry, the 44 schools and countless students they’ve helped impact.

08/11/2022

Now that the donations are in, Santa’s Elves get to work counting and sorting the TENS of THOUSANDS of school supplies you all so generously gave to our local students.

🎉🎉🎉We have a big weekend ahead of us, stay tuned to see the BIG FINALE of School Supply Santa! 🎉🎉🎉

08/10/2022

School Supply Santa collection ends Today!
And we are so excited to see it all come together! Thank you COMMUNITY, for everything! You all are the best supporters a Santa could ask for!

08/07/2022

Final week to GIVE! Collection ends THIS Wednesday August 10th!
Thank you in advance for your generosity and helping us support 44 schools, with a 15 year celebration!

08/06/2022

Attention! All Teachers!

As teachers head back to school, Meijer is helping to lighten the load! Teachers will receive a 15% discount on school supplies and home office supplies all year.