Roughly 27,500 students in Granite School District started the school year Wednesday, Aug. 12, without guaranteed access to basic supplies like notebooks, pencils and backpacks. For families at Holladay schools including Cottonwood Elementary and Driggs Elementary, the Granite Education Foundation is collecting donations to fill that gap.

"About half of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch," Programs and Volunteer Manager Randy Prince told ABC4 on Thursday, Aug. 13. "That is how we identify the need in the district."

The foundation, Granite School District's philanthropic arm, delivered 17,000 backpacks to district schools in 2024. With classes already underway, the need is immediate. The district serves approximately 55,000 students across 80 schools, and the foundation uses free-and-reduced-lunch eligibility to determine which kids need help.

What they need most

Three categories top the list: school supply kits, weekend food kits and clothing. A $15 monetary donation covers one new backpack filled with supplies and delivery to a child.

Residents who prefer to donate items can build kits at home. School kits call for safety scissors, erasers, glue sticks, colored pencils, dry-erase markers, highlighters, notebooks, folders, pencils, crayons, loose-leaf paper and pens. Weekend food kits provide four meals and snacks per student; no perishables or canned goods are accepted.

How to help

Holladay-area residents, faith groups and businesses can drop off new items at the foundation's donation center at 5325 S. Revere Drive (near the Holladay-Murray border), ZIP 84117. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon, or by appointment. Kit-building instructions and online donations are available at granitekids.org. The foundation can also be reached at (385) 646-5437.

In Utah, 1 in 10 children face food insecurity, according to Feeding America. The foundation's work extends beyond back-to-school season: in February, Granite District Scouts collected 23,000 pounds of food through the foundation's Scouting for Food drive.

Coming up

The foundation's 9/11 National Day of Service kit-building event is set for Thursday, Sept. 10, from 12:30 to 8 p.m., with extended donation hours Friday, Sept. 11, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the same Revere Drive location. The 2026 goal: 20,000 kits, up from 16,267 built in 2025. Registration is required, and volunteers must be 12 or older. Details at granitekids.org.