1st Ave Nutrition organizes fundraiser to purchase school supplies for Newton schools

It’s been a few years since Darian Morrison went back-to-school shopping, but even so the Cardinal graduate wasn’t shopping for herself this past week. Instead, she filled shopping carts full of all kinds of school supplies for the Newton Community School District as a result of her business’s fundraiser.

Morrison operates 1st Ave Nutrition on the south side of the town square. For one week, $5 from each combo of a tea and shake purchased by customers was set aside to go towards school supplies. At the end of the week, 1st Ave collected $890 and received a list of needed items from the school district.

“We divided it out between all six schools in town and put them all in little totes for them,” Morrison said. “I love doing stuff for the community so this was definitely a little twist to it. I thought it was fun going shopping. As a business owner I was shocked I was able to do something that big.”

If a little bit goes a long way, then $890 can certainly go much further. Morrison shared photos of the shopping spree and the huge haul of items collected. Boxes of pencils and markers and colored pencils, folders, calculators, notebooks, tissues, cleaning wipes, backpacks, glue, construction paper, rulers.

For Morrison, it felt good giving back to her school district and being able to provide students and teachers with things they will actually use.

“We’re more than just aloe, teas and shake,” she said. “We try to differentiate ourselves from being a place where you just go to get a drink. We’re trying to spread who we are — who we truly are — and our meaning to the town, and I think doing this really showed that.”

1st Ave has organized other partnership opportunities with the community. For instance, the shop will often hold “tea drops” by bringing in samples. 1st Ave is also involved with the Chamber of Commerce, participated in runs and donation events in the past and has held local sports fundraisers.

“We try to stay really involved,” Morrison said.