On track: Fast Track helps get local students ready for school

The start of a new school year is a time of anticipation, excitement and potential.

But for many Johnson County children, it’s also a time of uncertainty.

Too many kids don’t have the supplies they need to start the year on the right foot. The United Way of Johnson County wants to be sure they do.

“It’s important because many of the families we serve, they sometimes have to choose between paying rent and paying utilities, or buying school supplies. It’s able to help those families be ready for school,” said Nancy Lohr Plake, executive director of the United Way of Johnson County.

The United Way kicks off its Fast Track program this month, reaching out to the community to get school supplies to all of the students who need them. This year, the organization is anticipating serving more than 2,000 kids who will need assistance with pencils, markers, crayons, notebooks and more.

As the campaign kicks off, leaders are urging the community to help them get every local student off to school on the right foot.

“It’s a time when the families can come to school, be together, meet some of their teachers at the same time. So it’s really like a family festival kind of event,” Plake said.

Fast Track has been a mid-summer tradition for the United Way for many years, in an effort to ensure low-income students are well-equipped for school. The need has never been greater; during the 2022-2023 school year, county schools reported 11,167 students were eligible for free and reduced lunch.

Helping the families of those students with school supplies helps provide some relief, Plake said. And the feedback on the program has been positive from both parents and teachers.

According to the United Way, 99% of parents who completed a Fast Track survey said their child was more prepared for school with the help of the program. At the same time, 99% of parents said Fast track reduced the stress for returning to school.

“Our surveys show that families feel like that’s a value,” Plake said.

Last year, the United Way of Johnson County was able to serve 1,876 students at six county school districts. Organizers anticipate helping more this year, Plake said.

“The numbers are increasing. Right now, the schools are RSVPing 2,000,” she said. “That’s what we’re going to pack for.”

During the distribution, families can also receive guidance and direction to community resources if they have a particular need. Agencies such as Firefly, Windrose Health Network, Girls Inc. of Johnson County and more set up tables to distribute information and inform participants about programs available to them.

According to United Way surveys, 100% of parents who completed a Fast Track survey indicated the program provided them with valuable information from partnering agencies.

“Those partners they can visit during distribution are very valuable for those families. It provides all of that information to help those families thrive,” Plake said.

But to make Fast Track work, the United Way relies on the generosity of donors to get items to kids who need them. Businesses throughout the county are collecting supplies throughout July, with boxes set up everywhere from city and town offices to local libraries to area banks such as Home Bank, Crane Credit Union, First Merchants, Horizon Bank, IU Credit Union, Indiana Members Credit Union and Old National Bank.

“We have more places this year than in the past,” Plake said.

In addition, volunteers bring in thousands more items during the Stuff the Bus event, which is being held this year from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., July 13. People will be set up outside the Walmart store in Franklin, as well as the Greenwood Walmarts at 882 S. State Road 135 and 1133 N. Emerson Avenue. They’ll be asking shoppers to pick up supplies such as three-ring binders, colored pencils, ear buds, highlighters, loose-leaf paper and more for students in need.

Members of the community then step forward to volunteer to transport supplies to the different schools, sort them, store them and ensure the whole event is seamless, Plake said.

Schools throughout the county have been working with families in their district to get them involved with the distribution. In the weeks leading up to the start of school, each of the six districts in Johnson County will host distribution events to get everything that’s been collected to them.

“It’s not just about the school supplies. It’s also about families being able to receive additional information and being together,” Plake said.

AT A GLANCE

Fast Track

What: A program providing school supplies to help low-income students be prepared for the first day of school.

Who: United Way of Johnson County

When: Now through mid-July

How to help: Donations to the program can be made directly to United Way of Johnson County at its office at 594 Ironwood Drive, Franklin; at local businesses with collection boxes or at “Stuff the Bus” events.

Local businesses and organizations with collection boxes include:

• Arthur Baxter YMCA, 7900 S. Shelby St., Indianapolis
• Boy Scouts, Crossroads of America Council, 7125 Fall Creek Road North, Indianapolis
• City of Franklin, 70 E. Monroe St., Franklin
• Crane Credit Union, 2028 N. Morton St., Franklin
• Edinburgh-Wright-Hageman Public Library, 119 Main Cross St., Edinburgh
• Edward Jones, 706 W. Trafalgar Pointe Way, Suite C, Trafalgar
• Essex Furkawa, 3200 Essex Drive, Franklin
• Firefly Children & Family Alliance, 520 Tracy Road, New Whiteland
• First Merchants Bank, 1250 N. Emerson Ave., Greenwood; 2259 N. Morton St., Franklin
• Franklin Parks and Recreation, 396 Branigin Blvd.
• Grace United Methodist Church, 1300 E. Adams Dr., Franklin
• Greenwood Fire Department, 155 E. Main St.
• Greenwood Public Library, 310 S. Meridian St.
• Home Bank, 1472 S. State Road 135, Greenwood
• Horizon Bank, 420 N. Morton St., Franklin; 507 3 Notch Lane, Bargersville; 942 U.S. 31, Greenwood; 151 Marlin Drive, Greenwood; 100 W. Main Cross St., Edinburgh
• Indiana Members Credit Union, 1073 W. Jefferson St., Franklin
• IU Credit Union, 8836 Southpointe Drive, Suite C6, Indianapolis; 996 S. State Road 135, Suite R, Greenwood;
• John R. Drybread Community Center, 100 E. Main Cross St., Edinburgh
• Johnson County Public Library branches, 350 Clearwater Blvd., Whiteland; 401 State St., Franklin; 424 S. Tower St., Trafalgar; 1664 Library Blvd., Greenwood
• Old National Bank, 900 S. State Road 135, Greenwood
• Reach For Youth, 435 E. Main St., Greenwood
• The Salvation Army, 325 Market Place, Greenwood
• The Social of Greenwood, 550 Polk Place
• Turning Point Church, 3600 N. Morton St., Franklin
• Upstream Prevention, 3209 W. Smith Valley Road, Greenwood
• White River Township Fire Department, 336 N. Morgantown Road, Greenwood

Three “Stuff the Bus” events will occur this year from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July13. The events will take place at the Walmart locations at 2125 N. Morton St., Franklin; 1133 N. Emerson St., Greenwood, and 882 S. SR 135, Greenwood.

Requested items include: art boxes, backpacks, binder dividers, calculators, colored pencils, composition notebooks, crayons (boxes of 24), dry-erase markers, earbuds, erasers, folders (plastic,both with and without prong), glue sticks, headphones, highlighters, index cards, loose-leaf paper (college and wide ruled), markers, mechanical and regular pencils, notebooks (wide and college ruled), pencil pouches, pens, scientific calculators, sharpies and ultra-fine sharpies, three-ring binders (1-inch).

To learn how to get involved or for a list of needed supplies, contact United Way of Johnson County at 317-736-7840 or visit their website at uwjc.org.