In the Ozarks, 1 in 5 youth under 18 lives in poverty. On average, households will spend $693 on school supplies, shoes, electronics, and clothing – a difficult expense for the families OACAC serves.

Without necessary supplies, students are more likely to fall behind academically and experience low self-esteem.  Additionally, this puts a strain on educators. Around 94% of public-school teachers reported spending an average of $479 of their own money on supplies according to a 2018 Department of Education survey.

Can you help close the equity gap by equipping young people with the tools they need to learn and succeed?

Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC) is one of 19 Community Action Agencies across the state and more than 1,000 nationwide working to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty.