BEND, OR -- The new school year is right around the corner, and a local credit union is asking for help outfitting kids with the necessary supplies.

Mid Oregon Credit Union's Kyle Frick says donations made during the annual Supplies For Schools Fundraiser are distributed through the Family Access Network, "They're a great organization. And what they do is they identify kids in schools that may not have the resources they need. I mean, teachers can refer kids to FAN that might not be people that are coming and asking for help, but they can see that they need help." He tells KBND News, "We have lots of people that are having to make really difficult choices with inflation and the cost of goods, and everything's going up. It's like, how do we give kids the things that they need to begin school and feel like they don't come into the classroom going, 'I don't have a notebook' or, 'I don't have the pencils that I need.'"

Donations of new supplies can be dropped off at any Mid Oregon branch through the end of the month; you don't have to be a credit union member. "We collect at each of our seven branches in Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, La Pine Sisters. But you can drop donations off there and we get them directly to FAN," says Frick, "Supplies that get donated in Madras, go to the Madras schools. Supplies in La Pine go to La Pine schools. So, we're really making sure that we're keeping them in the communities where they're donated."

Requested items include water bottles, backpacks, headphones and binders, "Lots of different things that they need. We have a list on our website, at MidOregon.com, of the items the students are looking for- what FAN has identified as the needs," says Frick. Monetary donations can also be made online.