Though the back-to-school rush doesn’t start for more than a month, Hopelink, a social services agency serving North and East King County, is asking people to think about three-ring binders and colored pencils a bit ahead of schedule.

The organization launched its annual “Kids Need School Supplies” drive on Monday. They are currently collecting donated supplies as well as cash contributions that will go directly to purchasing backpacks and everything that goes in them for 1,700 under-served children in their area. The drive goes until mid-August, when Hopelink begins distribution.

Hopelink Center Manager Teresa Andrade sees the drive as essential for underprivileged kids.

“To me, education is the one way out of poverty,” Andrade said. “To have them start on the same foot as everybody else is so important — you don’t want them to stand out at the beginning of the year for the wrong reasons.”

Denise Stephens, public relations specialist for the agency, agreed, adding that entering the school year without supplies is imperative psychologically as well as academically.

“Even if a child has a real love of learning — even if they have all the potential to really excel in school — they’re going to feel terrible about school. They’re going to feel like they don’t fit in,” Stephens said.

Both Stephens and Andrade said that the recent economic downturn has hurt Hopelink clients, making money even tighter.

“If you’re a parent and you’ve got a limited amount of money, you’ve got to make some tough choices,” Stephens said. “If your choice is buying food for dinner or buying your child a pack of pencils, what are you going to do?”

That’s where Kids Need School Supplies comes into play.

“This is one way that we can help relieve them of an expense while still making sure that their kids can have what they need to succeed in school,” Stephens said.

Hopelink distributes through their six food bank locations so families can get everything they need in one visit. In order to receive supplies, they must register first with the agency.

“People don’t have to have been a client for a long time in order to come and take advantage of the school supplies, but they do have to be registered,” Stephens said.

After running the drive for more than five years, Andrade has witnessed the need first-hand.

“Some schools have fairly long lists, and it could be $75 or more to get everything on that list,” Andrade said. “For a low-income family, kids would just have to do without some of those supplies.”

For more information, visit www.hope-link.org.

Brittney Wong can be reached at (425) 391-0363 or through E-mail at Bwong@reporternewspapers.com.