International humanitarian aid organization World Vision warned that millions of low-income children will return to school this year without basic school supplies because high unemployment rates and economic hard times leave many families strapped for cash. The average family spends over $500 on school supplies.

Compared to last year's distribution of 30,000 backpacks, this year World Vision will distribute only 18,000 backpacks and school supplies to children and teachers from low-income schools, due to a decrease in donations. The aid agency's operations in Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Minneapolis, Chicago, West Virginia, Georgia, Washington, D.C., and Dallas report receiving nearly 140,000 requests for backpacks.

"Classroom teachers, many of whom are facing school budget cuts around the country, may shoulder a heavier burden for purchasing school supplies this year," said Romanita Hairston, Vice-President, U.S. Programs. Typically, teachers pay at least $500 of their own money each school year to provide supplies for their students.*

World Vision's Teacher Resource Centers (TRCs), which serve more than 24,000 teachers nationally, allow teachers from qualifying schools to "shop" free for much-needed basic school supplies that they and their students can use. These basic supplies include pens, pencils, notebooks, erasers, notebook paper, rulers, and more.

Through the World Vision TRC, each teacher can obtain more than $1,100 in retail value of school supplies over the course of the school year. Nationally, more than $27 million (retail value) in school supplies gets into the hands of teachers and students in need through World Vision.