When Carter Countians see others in need, they are quick to lend a helping hand.

Students at two high schools in the Carter County System — Hampton and Happy Valley — have already begun to collect supplies to send to families in Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Their counterparts at other schools are also joining the effort, and Carter County Director of Schools Dr. Kevin Ward is encouraging all the schools within the system to hold donation drives.

“We are Volunteers from Carter County, and I feel we need to respond,” Ward said. “In 1998 there were school systems in Tennessee and around the country who assisted us during our time of need following a devastating flood.”

School systems across the state are coming together to collect new school supplies and other items to send to the hurricane-ravaged areas. The Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS) is helping to coordinate the drive, which has been dubbed “Tennessee Volunteers For Texas.”

TOSS Executive Director Dale Lynch said that school districts across Tennessee reached out to him for ways to help. Williamson County Schools in Franklin is working with Williamson County Government to provide a collection site.

“Dr. (Mike) Looney and the Williamson County School District have volunteered to serve as the ‘hub’ to receive supplies from school districts as far away as Mountain City to Memphis,” said Lynch. “There are many kind and generous hearts among the school districts in the State of Tennessee.”

School systems are being asked to collect new school supplies such as backpacks, paper, pencils, scissors, glue, and crayons. Lynch said donated school buses are being accepted to replace ones lost in Texas due to the hurricane aftermath and several school systems across the state are already working to donate surplus school buses.

In a message to Carter County Schools principals, Ward said he would appreciate their help with collecting the requested items and the school system would find a way to transport the donations to the Williams County distribution center.

“The people in South Texas are suffering terribly,” Ward said. “As a collective group lets show our support in their time of need.”