Faith Lutheran Church members (left to right) Saville Gardner, Karla Stalwick and Doris Townsend sort donations of school supplies for low-income Redmond Elementary students on Aug. 25. Nearly 2,000 items, from backpacks to water color sets, were donated by Faith Lutheran congregants and Trilogy residents through the Trilogy for Kids program.

Almost 30 percent of children at ‘Redmond El’ qualify for free or reduced-priced lunches, including some who live in transitional housing at the YWCA Family Village and arrived in the community with almost no possessions. “Having a full backpack of their own is a first step in starting a successful year,” said Dorothy Matsui of Faith Lutheran Church Social Ministries. Students in the Lake Washington School District begin a new school year on Sept. 1.