TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- A Tallahassee school is collecting supplies for a school in Louisiana damaged by recent flooding.
This week, Maclay School kicked off "Backpacks for Baton Rouge," in an effort to help students at Runnels School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Maclay middle school teacher Laurie Coburn grew up in Baton Rouge. She said her hometown has been devastated by the flooding, and she wanted to give back to the community there.
Coburn said students were supposed to start school already, but the flooding damaged classrooms and destroyed supplies.
"I think it's important that, if that ever happened to us, I would want somebody to do this for me," Coburn said. "It's important for us to pay it forward. Everybody has always taken care of everybody else, and now, it's our turn to take care and to just keep it moving forward."
Even though it's started as a school effort, Coburn said the public is more than welcome to pitch in.
People can drop off supplies at the school and mention they're for "Backpacks for Baton Rouge."
The drive will end Friday. Coburn will travel to Baton Rouge Saturday to deliver the supplies.
