"Pack The Bus" Collects School Supplies for Local Students
With the help of our community, Synergy Bank’s Pack the Bus School Supply Drive donated school supplies to Terrebonne, Lafourche, and Pointe Coupee Parish School Districts to distribute to students in need. The drive is in partnership with United Way for South Louisiana, H.O.P.E. Ministry of Pointe Coupee, and many local businesses and organizations.
Throughout the month of July, community members and businesses collected school supplies for the drive. At the end of the month, Synergy Bank, United Way, and H.O.P.E. Ministry representatives traveled by school bus to each drop-off location to “pack the bus” with the donated supplies which included notebooks, paper, pencils, pens, highlighters, markers, crayons, backpacks, glue sticks, erasers, folders, binders, lunch boxes, and much more.
Supplies collected in the Bayou Region were split equally and donated to Terrebonne Parish School District and Lafourche Parish School District. Supplies collected in Pointe Coupee Parish were donated to Pointe Coupee Parish School District.
“Synergy Bank is honored to work with other community-minded businesses and the United Way to help local families in need,” Jerry Ledet, Synergy Bank President and CEO, said. “The school supplies donated are used throughout the year to give students resources needed to thrive in school.”
This year marked two special occasions for the school supply drive – it’s 10th anniversary in the Bayou Region and it’s first in the Capital Region. In a decade, this collaborative community effort has donated tens of thousands of individual school supply items to families in need.
"We can’t thank those who donated school supplies for Pack the Bus enough,” United Way Executive Director Alina Merlos said. “Having the right tools can produce the confidence a child needs to focus on learning and ensure his or her success.”
Cindy O’Meara, H.O.P.E. Ministry of Pointe Coupee Advisory Board Member and Volunteer, added: “As a retired educator, I realize the importance of students having the necessary school supplies to succeed in their classrooms. I am so thankful for the support of Synergy Bank and our community in making our first Pack the Bus event such a huge success!”
We thank the many local businesses that participated and assisted with the Pack the Bus School Supply Drive.
In the Bayou Region:1st Franklin Financial, All South Consulting Engineers, Bayou Cane Sports Bar, Bayou Country Children's Museum, Big Mikes BBQ Smokehouse, Chick-fil-A, Crab Trap CrossFit, Danos, First United Methodist Church of Thibodaux, Fletcher Technical Community College, Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, LOOP, National Association for University Women, Nicholls State University, Nick Hebert Insurance, Paisley Park, Pelican Waste & Debris, Raising Cane’s, RelyOn Nutec, SoLA Center for the Arts, South Central Industrial Association, South Louisiana Bank, Synergy Bank, Terrebonne Folklife Cultural Center, Terrebonne General Health System, Terrebonne Ministerial Alliance, Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, Thibodaux Regional Health System, USI Insurance Services, and Valley Supply Co. We’d also like to thank John and Sarah Casey, Allie and Kyle Lizotte, Carleton and Andrée Casey, and Carleton Jr. and Emilée Casey for their generous donation of 12 pallets of school supply items.
In the Capital Region: A&W Equipment, Arbor Health, The B Hive: A Merle Norman Studio, Bellelo’s Furniture & Appliance, Blanchard’s Pharmacy, Cazayous Insurance Agency, City of New Roads, D&D White’s Fitness, Estella Boutique, Fontaine, Keys Graphics, New Roads Antique Mall, New Roads Motor Company, Our Lady of the Lake Physicians’ Offices, Parish Home and Farm, Pelican Waste, Pointe Coupee Banner, Pointe Coupee Parish Library, Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff’s Office Civil Division, Pointe Coupee Pharmacy, The Pointe Mercantile, Signature Salons, Sunshine Quality Solutions, Synergy Bank, and Tractor Supply.
“We are grateful to our local businesses and community for coming together to benefit local schools and families,” Stephen David, Synergy Bank Capital Region Market President, said. “Synergy Bank looks forward to growing Pack the Bus School Supply Drive for years to come.”
Families in need of school supplies should contact the following in their respective parishes:
- Terrebonne Parish - Kwanzaa Johnson at 985-879-6400 ext. 264
- Lafourche Parish - Quentina Brown 985-532-2508
- Pointe Coupee Parish - Tabitha Ransom or Kristin Ramsey at 225-638-8674.
