MIDLAND, Texas — As a new school year begins for those around West Texas, you’ve likely felt the need for school supplies in your wallet with inflation making virtually everything more expensive.
In education, inflation has not shied away from the cost of notebooks or pencils. Teachers and students of course rely on school supplies to help with learning, but right now, the price of admission is creating a challenge.
Scissors, glue and crayons are all school supplies that are being impacted – not just by a child in art class – but by economics as well.
“Our pantry stats have increased tremendously this year," Tasha Stephens, a family support coordinator at Midland ISD's Family Support Center, said. "I believe inflation has everything to do with that.”
The Family Support Center offers help to those who need it, with Stephens hearing those stories regularly.
“Families come in and they do share their stories, and the stories that they share [are] sometimes heartbreaking and it just puts a realism on everything that’s going on in our community," Stephens said. "But, inflation…that just reflects gas prices and that reflects groceries and that reflects school supplies and that reflects everything around [what] a functioning household will have.”
Those other factors that are impacted mean it’s decision time for families.
“People are only able to buy certain things, whether that mean prioritizing gas over food or food over hygiene or hygiene over school supplies," Stephens said. "So, in order to alleviate some of those issues, we’ve been able to reach out to the community and provide those supplies.”
Donors and sponsors have foot the bill for those in need at the Family Support Center.
“Some of these backpacks – once you load them all up – it’s about $100 a piece," said Stephens.
With the new school year arriving, inflation will be a tough foe to erase.
“Since I’ve worked here this is definitely the busiest year that we’ve seen," Stephens said. “We’ve even opened our services to teachers. If a teacher is lacking in school supplies – just like earlier, we built a box for a teacher who needed a few composition notebooks and stuff – but it’s open year-round to teachers, employees, families of the district.”
The Family Support Center started in 2020 in Midland ISD and they also offer food, clothing and hygiene to support MISD families. If you need help with any of those things or school supplies, click here for more information.