HOLYOKE – School may be drawing to the conclusion of its 2019 year, but the Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative is already looking for the start of the next school year.

The Initiative has announced its 2019 Pack the Backpack School Supply Drive

“We are in full swing for our 2019 Pack the Backpack School Supply Drive that will be used for our Back to School Event held at McNally Field on Aug. 17 from 1 to 5 p.m. We are attempting to collect 2,000 of each item listed below to give Holyoke students a solid start for the school year with the supplies necessary for success,” Edward Caisse III, unit director of the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, said.

Local residents and businesses interested in contributing items toward the effort can drop off supplies at the areas listed below now through July 12.

Collections boxes are in the areas below, with specific items in each location:

• Notebooks; Holyoke Credit Union: 490 Westfield Road.

• Pencils Packs: Dollar Tree, 2269 Northampton St.

• Glue Sticks: Girl Scouts, 301 Kelly Way.

• Crayons: Holyoke Medical Center: 575 Beech St.

• Colored Pencils: Gary Rome, 150 Whiting Farms Road.

• Colored Pencils: K-Mart, 2203 Northampton St.

•Colored Markers: Staples, 591 Memorial Drive, Chicopee.

• Child Scissors: Bresnahan Insurance,100 Whiting Farms Road.

• Child Scissors Blessed Sacrament: 21 Westfield Road.

• Eraser Caps: Gary Rome, 150 Whiting Farms Road.

• Eraser Caps: Holyoke Public School, 57 Suffolk St.

• Small packages of tissues:  Holyoke Senior Center, 291 Pine St.