At Spud, we love our bins!

Not only do they keep your groceries safe and sound until they are delivered to you, we also use them to help the community.

This time, we are using them to collect school supplies to donate to kids who need them. To see how you can help, scroll down to read about your city’s bin drive below:

Vancouver:  We’re partnering with PALS Autism School in East Vancouver.  

PALS Autism Society is the only specialized bricks and mortar elementary and secondary school in British Columbia for children and adolescents with autism, accompanied by a before-and-after school-care program, as well as a CLBC-approved program for adults (with autism) to further develop life skills.

The school operates year-round and uses the proven Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) method to provide core education, life skills, and socials skills as a foundation for independence. It is a warm, caring, and safe environment that provides children and young adults the opportunity to develop social relationships with others while focusing on each individual’s needs. All instructions are provided in a low student-to-teacher ratios.

PALS Autism School was founded in 2007 by five mothers of children with autism and complex developmental disabilities. These mothers believed that adequate programming did not exist to meet the special needs of their children and for many other children across the province. Our goal is to support students with varying levels of ability to become independent members of their communities.

PALS needs:

• Clipboards
• Glue sticks
• Facial Tissue
• Large reusable shopping bags
•  Simple backpacks
• 8.5” x 11” copy paper
•  Ziploc baggies –snack size, sandwich size, medium freezer, large freezer
• Sticky notes of all shapes and sizes
• Yellow #2 pencils
•  Electric pencil sharpeners
• Mechanical pencils
• Pencil cases/pouches
• Page protectors
• Page dividers (regular AND oversized –multi-colour and/or white tabs)
• Duotangs
• Duct tape
• Construction paper
• Non-toxic paint
• Dry erase markers
• Dry erase board brushes
• 8GB or 16GB Flash Drives
• Laminating pouches
• White out (ribbon type)
• C-ring clips
• Binder clips (various sizes)
• Cutlery
• Plastic tumbler glasses
• Hand sanitizer (large and individual sizes)
• Large white erasers
• Black sharpie markers
• Red sharpie markers
• Yellow highlighters
• Pink highlighters
• 3” x 5” white ruled index cards
• 3” x 5” green, pink, blue, purple, yellow ruled index cards
• 6.5” x 4.5” index card boxes
• Disinfecting wipes for counters/tabletops

Victoria-Nanaimo: We’re partnering with 1Up Single Parent Resource Centre

1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre offers practical support, opportunities for growth, and a sense of hope to one-parent families in the Greater Victoria region. Through our many programs and services–including free clothing, bread, toys, books, and school supplies; counselling, parenting and life skills courses; mentorship for single moms and a support group for single dads–single parents find a welcoming community that helps them raise happy, healthy kids.

1Up Needs:

• Backpacks
• Calculators
• Math sets (protractor and compass)
• Packaged loose leaf paper
• Pens
• Pencils
• Mechanical pencils
• Erasers
• Pencil sharpeners
• Highlighters
• Glue sticks
• Scissors
• Pencil Cases
• Boxed crayons
• Boxed coloured markers
• Boxed pencil crayons
• Sharpies (black)
• Rulers
• Coil-bound scribblers
• Duo tangs

Calgary: We’re partnering with Closer to Home Community Services

Closer to Home is a charitable organization in Calgary that envisions a future where every child will belong to a family and feel valued and secure. Their family-centered, strength-based services ensure that children have stable, healthy, and safe living environments to grow and develop.

Closer to Home needs:

• Duotangs
• Pencils
• Erasers
• Glue sticks
• Rulers
• Plastic pencil boxes
• Crayons
• Markers
• Scissors
• Paper (lined)
• Pencil crayons
• Pencil sharpener
• Pens – blue

Edmonton: We are partnering with United Way’s Tools for School initiative

In some areas of Alberta, as many as 80% of students need backpacks filled with school supplies. Tools for School aims to reduce this barrier holding children and youth back from successful learning and participation in school.

Tools for School needs:

• Backpacks
• Washable markers
• Exercise Books
• Duotangs
• Pencil cases
• Pencils
• Wax crayons
• White glue
• Glue sticks
• Rulers
• Erasers
• Pencil sharpener
• Pencil crayons
• Lined paper
• Blue Pens
• Red Pens
• Black Pens
• Highlighters
• Binders
• Dividers
• Coiled Notebooks