As students across the Los Angeles area look forward to returning to school and catching up with their friends after summer vacation, parents are expected to spend more money on school supplies as they face financial pressures, given the rising cost of school supplies.
According to a Deloitte survey, Los Angeles families are estimated to spend an average of $921 per child on back-to-school purchases this year, about $200 more than last year.
A Lynwood family is one of those feeling the financial strain as their daughter starts kindergarten this week, all while the little girl is so upset.
“The best part is recess because I really like to play,” says Sarahi Pelayo, whose first day of school is on Wednesday. “I like to paint and draw.”
However, her parents said they were stressed because Sarahi would have to wear prescribed clothing and bring basic school supplies on the first day of school.
“(School officials) are sending us messages that she has to wear a uniform,” Joana Rodriguez, Sarahi’s mother, said in Spanish.
Given the rising cost of living, Rodriguez said the biggest financial burden on her family is the cost of school supplies.
“The rent and bills have gone up,” she explained, adding that her family spent about $200 on three uniforms, a pair of shoes, a backpack, a lunch box and other school supplies such as paints, pencils and erasers.
Fortunately, most of the costs were covered by a $300 gift card they received from the nonprofit organization Gordon Philanthropies.
“The savings on supplies will help us pay our bills,” Rodriguez said.
This week, other nonprofits are holding sweepstakes that can provide much-needed assistance to families with young children going back to school.
