"The Lunchbox I Had to Have"

When I was 10 years old, there was only one way I was going to survive the first day of 5th grade: I had to have the Man from U.N.C.L.E. lunchbox.
 
Not just any lunchbox. Not the green plaid one from the drugstore downtown. Not the plain red plastic one my mom tried to pass off as “cool.” No, this had to be the lunchbox: metal, with the logo, the spy gadgets, and pictures of Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin on the side. Anything less would be social ruin.
 
To their credit, my parents, who were not ones to indulge every childhood whim, made it happen. They drove to the next town over just to find one. I can still remember walking into school that first morning with it swinging from my hand, feeling like the king of the hallway.
 
Looking back, I realize that lunchbox was a luxury. My parents didn’t have a lot of money, but they had just enough margin to make me feel like I belonged.
 
Today, far too many families don’t have that margin.
 
For the one-third of Central Georgia households who are ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — back-to-school season is less about exciting new lunchboxes and more about figuring out how to afford the basics: uniforms, backpacks, composition books, pencils, glue sticks. The price of those essentials has soared over the last few years. And for ALICE families, who are often working multiple jobs just to keep the lights on, these costs aren’t just stressful, they’re heartbreaking.
 
The increasing cost of school supplies is the latest strain on an ALICE family's budget. According to CNBC, back-to-school basics are 20% more expensive than they were before the pandemic, with backpacks specifically costing almost 30% more. The prices of tablets and paper pads are up 25%, while pens, pencils, and art supplies are up 27%.
 
Imagine being a parent who has to choose between buying groceries or school supplies. Imagine sending your child to school knowing they’ll feel different, left out, or unprepared. Not because they aren’t capable, but because you couldn’t afford the tools they need.
 
No child should have to start the school year at a disadvantage. And no parent should have to carry that burden alone.
 
That’s why United Way of Central Georgia is proud to partner with 13WMAZ for a Back-to-School Supply Drive — to make sure every child starts the year ready to learn and feel like they belong. Not because they have the coolest lunchbox, but because they have the supplies they need to succeed.
 
You can help. Your donation will go directly to support local families and students. Our plan is simple: use the money to buy exactly what the school districts have told us they need. Nothing more, nothing less.
 

By allowing United Way to make these purchases, your gift goes further:

1. We can buy items in bulk, which stretches every dollar.
2. We ensure students receive what’s actually needed — not just what we might think they need.
   

3. We can respond with flexibility, purchasing supplies when and where they’re most needed, rather than trying to front-load donations all at once.

 
Every dollar makes a difference, whether it covers a set of markers or a full backpack of essentials. Together, we can lift the burden for these families and give every child the strong start they deserve.
 

To make a donation today, click here.
 
And if you see a Man from U.N.C.L.E. lunchbox at a yard sale — grab it. You never know who you might make feel like a king.