Oklahoma City Public Schools is nearly finished with the first two months of school. The realization that this school year is likely to remain unusual is settling in for district leaders, families and students.

Plans are being made and adjusted daily to accommodate student and staff needs and safety. If you haven’t thanked a member of #TeamOKCPS lately, please do so at your earliest convenience!

The community partners who continually step up to support our schools also deserve our thanks. Because of our community’s generous support, more than 5,000 students have received school supply kits through the Kit-A-Kid program. Donors like T-Mobile, Boeing Employees, Diamondback Energy, Northrup Grumman, Dr. Subha Varhan, Bank of America, Amerigroup and St. Luke’s Church have stepped up to make significant contributions.

Hundreds of individual donors have stepped up to contribute smaller amounts that are equally significant.

Three law firms have even put competition aside to make a combined $20,000 contribution to Kit-A-Kid. Parrish Devaughn, Warhawk Legal and McIntyre Law came together to make the joint gift and to use it as a challenge to other law firms to contribute. Pepper Devaughn said he believes it is imperative for local law firms to be part of supporting the students of OKCPS, some of whom will be future lawyers in our community.

Whatever the reason for contributing, the school supply kits are helping students and families. We’ve heard from principals throughout the district about the tremendous needs our students have. We’ve heard from parents saying their lives are cratering because of losing jobs during the pandemic, leaving them with no ability to purchase school supplies for their kids.

Whether your children attend Oklahoma City Public Schools or not, we are one community. We are all #TeamOKCPS.

Read Foundation President and CEO Mary Mélon’s original Oklahoman editorial.