FAIRFIELD, Ohio — It’s the middle of summer, but one man is already thinking about school supply shopping for 200 kids.
Ted McDaniel has boxes full of backpacks he bought and is planning to fill them up with school supplies for kids in need.
“The need is always out there. It’s just how can we fulfill as much as we can,” said McDaniel.
He said he started getting supplies early because they expect more kids to be back in class in person this school year.
It’s the highest amount of school supplies he’s ever had to get in the past four years. That’s when he started Dougie and Rays. It’s the charity he runs that provides not just school supplies, but clothes and hygiene products for students in Fairfield schools. He said there’s a reason he does it.
“I remember being in 6th grade in band class and being made fun of by somebody because I smelled, and I didn’t know why. I took showers every day, and it’s affected me and I thought if there are kids out there without, I don’t want them to have to have a story like this, too,” said McDaniel.
He said he hopes what he can help provide helps kids in more ways than one.
“Stop bullying build self-confidence and letting kids be kids and not have to worry about not having things,” said McDaniel.
He said he still needs help to do that. He’s looking for volunteers and donations fill the bags with supplies, and he said he’s working with Fairfield schools to send them to kids who might need them when schools are back to normal.
