As the summer winds down, Parents and Students in the state of Maryland prepare for a brand new school year. With rising consumer confidence, back to school spending is set to reach an all-time high according to the National Retail Federations annual survey. $83.6 billion dollars are forecasted in 2017 for school supplies to both primary and college level students (National Retail Federation, Back to School Headquarters – 8/1/17). Around the thrill and excitement are emotions of anxiety and fear for those who cannot support the overwhelming need for school supplies. In fact, according to a recent study, soaring back-to-school costs can be burdensome and set an impoverished family’s budget over the edge. Let’s do our part, please join the RLMI Community Initiatives team in providing school supplies for students at Mt. Hope Nanjemoy Elementary School and John Hanson Middle School. School supplies will be collected on Wednesdays and Sundays during the month of August. A list of requested supplies will be available in the Information Kiosk in the foyer and are available here for download.