City of Charleston launches school supply drive
July 9, 2026
Invites businesses to host their own ahead of First Day Festival
The City of Charleston is kicking off its annual School Supply Drive on Monday, July 13, ahead of the city’s First Day Festival, and is inviting local businesses and organizations to get involved by hosting their own supply drives.
Community members can drop off donated supplies at any of the following City of Charleston Recreation facilities:
- Arthur W. Christopher Community Center – 265 Fishburne Street, Charleston, SC 29403
- Daniel Island Recreation Center – 160 Fairbanks Drive, Daniel Island, SC 29492
- James Island Recreation Complex – 1088 Quail Drive, Charleston, SC 29412
- Bees Landing Recreation Center – 1580 Ashley Gardens Blvd, Charleston, SC 29414
- Peggy Bohne Tennis Center – 19 Farmfield Avenue, Charleston, SC 29407
- Maybank Tennis Center – 1880 Houghton Drive, Charleston, SC 29414
Items needed include:
- Composition Notebooks
- Notebook Paper
- Spiral Notebooks
- 2-Pocket Folders
- Pencils
- Crayons
- Colored Pencils
- Markers
- Erasers
- Pencil Cases
- Scissors
Businesses and organizations interested in hosting their own supply drive are encouraged to register with the City in advance. Once registered, the City will follow up with details on where and when to drop off collected supplies. To register, contact Director of Economic and Neighborhood Services Mindy Sturm at [email protected], or 843-860-2233.
All donated supplies will help stock the City’s First Day Festival, set for Sunday, August 9 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Galliard Auditorium and South Carolina Aquarium.
The festival includes:
- Free school supplies
- Free SC Aquarium admission
- Entertainment
- Food trucks
- Community resource fair
Parking is available for $1 at the SC Aquarium and $1 at the Galliard Garage.
The First Day Festival is presented in partnership with the South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston County School District, and the City of Charleston Recreation Department.
