Project S.O.S. is an annual program put on by The Banquet in Sioux Falls that provides school supplies to area kids in need. Last year they helped about 4,400 kids.  This year, the need could be even greater. Project S.O.S. stands for "supply our students" and each year The Banquet in Sioux Falls works to make sure all area kids have the items they need to get the school year started off right. Madeline Shields, Special Project Director for The Banquet says, "Children who start school with brand new supplies have higher self esteem and they are more excited about starting school, which makes them more successful."

But this year, thanks to the economy, organizers think there are even more families in need. Shields says, "We've had a lot of calls about when are the school supplies going to be available and not just for children in Sioux Falls, but for children in surrounding areas." Kmart, Lewis, Shopko, Wal-Mart, Staples and Hy-Vee all have Project S.O.S. drop-boxes. You simply buy some items, put them in the drop-box and Banquet officials will put the items into backpacks and get them to kids in need.

The backpacks will be distributed August 16th at Whittier Middle School in Sioux Falls. If your child already has a back-pack, but is in need of supplies, you can take it to Whittier that Saturday, and The Banquet will fill it up. Shields says, "The Banquet is local, this is it. We're the only ones doing school supplies and if we can get people to help us everybody wins."

Project S.O.S. also helps out kids in surrounding towns. To donate just follow the items on the school's supply list, either in the Sioux Falls Public School system, or in a neighboring town's. The Banquet also accepts cash donations. For more information, click here.

School Supply List:

• Backpacks
• 3-Ring Binders (2 inch and 1 inch)*
• Scissors (5 inch and 7 inch)*
• Colored Pencils (24 count)*
• Crayola Classic Markers (wide tip)
• Crayola Crayons (24 count)
• No. 2 Pencils
• Blue/Black Pens
• Loose Leaf Paper (wide ruled & college ruled)
• Spiral Notebooks (1 subject - wide & college ruled)
• 2 Pocket Folders (No clasp - blue, red, yellow & green)
• Erasers
• Subject Dividers
• Pencil Pouch
• 12 Inch Ruler (with metric)

* Most needed items