Grace House set to help hundreds of school kids this month

By Charles Christian

Grace House in St. Joseph will continue its nearly 20-year tradition of giving away school supplies to hundreds of students in grades K-12.

Beginning Tuesday, July 23 at 6 a.m., school-aged children can receive free backpacks, school supplies, clothing (including socks and underwear), a toothbrush and more. Founding director of Grace House, Ruth Costello, said the key is to arrive early.

“I will be here around 5:15 in the morning,” Costello said. “I will let people in as soon as they get here, but we always have quite a line.”

The line is to be expected since Grace House is preparing to assist over 1,200 kids this year, as they did last year. According to Costello, the numbers continue to grow each year, and she said that volunteers and donors continue to make this event possible.

Volunteer help has been especially crucial, because of her own health issues this year. Grace House had to close for a few months because Costello experienced health issues that required surgery.

Now, though, the non-profit has reopened, and Costello noted that economic challenges continue to make this event necessary for all kinds of families.

“The challenges are not just for traditionally poorer families,” Costello said. “Even working families are finding it difficult, especially those with more than one child in school.”

Individuals and businesses in the neighborhood said the work of Grace House is beneficial to the community, and that Grace House has been good for the neighborhood as well.

Costello said her goal is to be part of removing distractions for kids as they pursue their goals, while also giving them items that build their self-esteem so that they can confidently approach the school year.

“I want them to go to school with success on their minds, feeling good about how they look, knowing they’re going to make it,” Costello said. “I don’t want them to be embarrassed or to feel they don’t have the basics they need to succeed.”

Costello emphasized the need to arrive early, because it is common to see lines around the block for this event. Parents should have proper identification, and she said that college-aged students are also invited. For more information, or to donate new items for the drive, contact Grace House at 2638 Lafayette Street, at (816) 262-9401, or, check out Grace House’s Facebook page.