TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – News Channel 8 is once again partnering with the Hillsborough Education Foundation, the Pinellas Education Foundation, the Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay area Achieva Credit Unions for its annual Back to School Supply Drive. This year’s drive will take place on Friday, Aug. 12.

The school supply drive will help ensure students and teachers have the supplies they’ll need when they return to school this year. The supply drive will take place simultaneously in the parking lots of News Channel 8, located at 200 South Parker Street in Tampa, and at Tropicana Field, located at 1 Tropicana Drive in St. Petersburg.

Volunteers will be on site to collect supplies for both education foundations to support students on both sides of Tampa Bay. More than 200,000 economically disadvantaged students attend Hillsborough and Pinellas County public schools. Given the financial hardships of recent years, this summer’s school supply drive is more important than ever and ensures students with the greatest need have the tools to succeed in the new school year.

If you can’t make it by the school supply drive, you can visit any Tampa Bay area Achieva Credit Union location before Aug. 10 and they’ll accept your donation. You can find the location closest to you on Achieva’s website.

The Top 20 most-needed school supplies include: Backpacks, cap erasers, colored pencils (12 count), composition books, copy paper, crayons (24 count), dry-erase markers, filler paper, glue sticks, glue bottles, highlighters, index cards, large pink erasers, pencils, pens, pocket folders, rulers, scissors, spiral notebooks and washable markers.

“We’re hoping to give them a head start in getting our local teachers the tools they’ll need to succeed in ensuring a quality education this upcoming school year,” WFLA News Channel 8 and Great 38 Vice President & General Manager Mark Higgins said.

This event is sponsored by Achieva Credit Union and in partnership with the Tampa Bay Rays. If you are unable to donate supplies in person, there are several other easy opportunities to help. You can visit the individual education foundation sites to find out how:

Donate to the Hillsborough Education Foundation

Donate to the Pinellas Education Foundation