We are all connected in some way, and that has been proven again and again throughout these interesting pandemic times.

When schools were closed for the remainder of the year and distance learning began in earnest, it became clear that support was needed for students to access instruction and school supplies in a new way.

Oklahoma City Public Schools curriculum teams jumped in to create both online and printed packets for all grade levels. Teachers connected with students and families to determine who needed assistance with internet access, devices and school supplies. (This column cannot possibly name all the partners who have stepped in to provide support. We’ll do our best to highlight many of them in future writings, but will focus just on school supplies here.)

More than 14,000 students were determined to have need for school supplies and the best possible scenario was for these supplies to be shipped directly to students’ homes.

That’s where partner Candor PR stepped in and connected the Foundation for OKCPS with Walmart. Walmart executives jumped right in to provide great pricing for school supply kits for elementary and secondary students.

They then connected with their partners at FedEx to take on the daunting task of shipping to each student individually.

The kits were all shipped last week and we have been receiving pictures of very happy students receiving what may be their very first packages from FedEx. And we’ve been hearing heartfelt thanks from families struggling through these challenging times.

Connections and partnerships have always been critically important to our mission at The Foundation. In fact, they are the lifeblood of our work. Our generous community and caring partners are absolutely the best.

Read Mary Mélon’s original Oklahoman editorial.