CWS School Kits

June 30, 2024

Once again, the church’s Mission Ministry will be assembling Church World Service School Kits to be shared with children in the US and around the world. Last year, we assembled a record 53 kits! Thank you to all who participated. We can do it again! Please start watching for the “Back-to-School” bargains throughout July and early August.

For those who are new to this project, it is a simple and fun way to share our resources with young students around the globe. Who doesn’t love buying a new box of crayons for a child? The list of items required for each kit is included below. You may purchase a complete kit or any quantity of the individual components. Please note the specific instructions for items as shown within parentheses.

  • One pair of blunt scissors removed from the package (rounded tip, only)
  • Three 70-page count spiral bound notebooks or notebooks totaling 200-210 pages (no loose-leaf or filler paper)
  • One 30-centimeter / 12” ruler
  • One hand-held pencil sharpener removed from the package
  • One large eraser (no pencil cap erasers)
  • Six new, unsharpened pencils with erasers (remove from packaging and use a rubber band to to hold the pencils together)
  • One box of 24 crayons (only 24)

Items may be dropped off in the school kits collection box by the Music Room between 10 AM and 1 PM, Tuesday through Thursday or at Sunday Worship. Financial donations may be physical or online.

In addition to school supplies, we will be accepting monetary donations to offset our shipping expenses, which typically run over $100, and CWS requests $2 per kit to be used to cover their own costs to deliver the supplies to each child. We greatly thank those who have helped our church cover these expenses in the past. 

To donate by check:

  • drop off in the church office or mail(do not place in the kit collection box)
  • make payable to the First Congregational Church of Reading and write “CWS School Kits” in the memo line

To donate online: