The right tools
This year the Coeur d’Alene Casino raised nearly $9,000 to purchase backpacks and fill them with supplies for students across the region. Courtesy photo
Many of today’s students face an economic challenge that hampers their ability to succeed in the classroom. They don’t have the basic school supplies — like pencils, pens, paper — or a backpack to carry their books and other necessities.
This reality is why the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel led an effort to supply 2,200 students across the Inland Northwest with backpacks and school supplies.
“Back-to-school season can be an exciting and also financially stressful time of the year for families,” said Francis SiJohn, CEO at the Coeur d’Alene Casino. “We want these students to just be kids and feel confident and empowered on that first day of school.”
In partnering with KREM 2, Walmart, and Communities in Schools of Spokane County, the Tools 2 Schools Supply Drive will aid students in need across the region. This year the Coeur d’Alene Casino raised nearly $9,000 to purchase backpacks and fill them with supplies. It raised similar amounts for students in 2016.
“It’s been our tradition to give back,” said Laura Stensgar, Executive Marketing director at Coeur d’Alene Casino.
“Helping children and helping families with school supplies helps ease the burden. They can rest assured that the supplies are taken care of.”
Tools 2 Schools has been operating for more than 10 years and helped countless students across the region. Last week, needy students in North Idaho received their backpacks loaded with school supplies.
Tools 2 Schools is one of many ways the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and its enterprises donate. Completely separate from this and other donations, the Tribe commits 5 percent of its gaming profits toward education, the total of which exceeds $33.3 million since the original bingo hall opened in 1993.