Check out the list of school supplies to be collected.

CIS will collect school supplies around the county from Aug. 1 until Sept. 5.

"It's no fun to start the school year without supplies," said Andi Korte, executive director for CISNC in Moore County. WRAL-TV leads the campaign each year to provide school supplies to needy children.

Collection barrels for new donated school supplies will be at the UPS Store at Pinecrest Plaza and all nine First Bank locations in Moore County. Donations to the school are tax-deductible, and do not require great amounts of time to improve a student's year.

"It's such an easy thing to do," she said.

Last year CIS supplied more than 736 students with school supplies, and organizers are hoping to increase the number of students, Korte said.

CIS volunteers will collect the supplies and bundle them into packages for the schools. CIS and First Bank volunteers will distribute the packages on the United Way Day of Caring, Sept. 7.

"All the excess goes to the pot that all the schools share," Korte said.

Wal-Mart is also partnering with CIS in a "Stuff the Bus" effort. A Moore County Schools yellow school bus will be stationed at Wal-Mart on Friday and Saturday during the North Carolina sales-tax-free weekend, today through Sunday.

"Andi approached us with the idea of putting a bus out there on our sidewalk and collecting sort of like we had done with (Hurricane) Katrina for the Food Bank, and we thought it was fun and exciting. It has a charm to it with the bus," Patsy Ringler, Wal-Mart community relations coordinator, said.

Customers out shopping for back-to-school supplies are encouraged to purchase an extra item or two to bring out to the bus and fill the interior.

"It makes it convenient for people who want to donate," she said, adding that purchases don't have to be made at Wal-Mart; anyone who wishes to bring something is welcome. "Our associates are very involved in the community. They will not be working directly with (the campaign) but I'm sure that they will be donating."

Moore County Schools are helping direct the supplies to the schools that need supplies, primarily elementary and primary schools around the county, Charlie McWilliams, senior vice president of First Bank in Southern Pines, said.

"First Bank is a community bank and we believe in the community, especially our school system," he said.

"We're hoping to have containers in place shortly after the first of August. They'll be in the lobby," McWilliams said.

"Even if you're not a First Bank customer we encourage you to stop in."

McWilliams will help pick up the supplies from the collection barrels. Volunteers from the bank, UPS, and CIS put together packages of the supplies.

School supplies are delivered to Moore County schools by CIS volunteers, First Bank employees and members of the United Way during their annual day of caring. Communities In Schools is a United Way Agency.

Chuck Wunsch and Jeff Markum of UPS are also helping coordinate the efforts from UPS.

Monetary donations can be sent to Communities In Schools PO Box 223, Pinehurst, NC 28370. Contact Andi Korte at (910) 692-9010.