NATCHEZ — For more than five decades the Natchez chapter of Junior Auxiliary has been helping teachers and students get the supplies they need to get a good start to the new school year.

Continuing the tradition, JA members started the group’s annual collection of school supplies at the Duncan Park Canteen Saturday morning. This year’s school supply drive will continue through Sept.1.

“We have been doing a school supply drive for as long as there has been a JA chapter in Natchez,” vice president Morgan Groover said. “Probably since the 1950s.”

Through the decades, Groover said the chapter has been dedicated to helping local schools with the supplies they need to educate students.

Groover and other JA members waited at Duncan Park as community members dropped off everything from notebooks, pencils, glue, crayons and other supplies.

The group is also collecting gift cards and monetary donations that will be used for specific items that have been identified by the schools, Groover said.

This year, the Natchez JA chapter has decided to concentrate on West Elementary and Frazier Elementary in the Natchez-Adams School District.

“This year we decided to focus on the younger ones a little more,” Groover said.

In addition to school supplies, Groover said the organization also is collecting lightly worn uniforms.

“We keep uniforms in the event that a family that has an emergency, like a house fire, can get uniforms for the children,” Groover said.

In a separate project, Groover said the Natchez chapter continues to accept donations of feminine hygiene products to put in the district’s higher grades.

“Some girls don’t have them, and we noticed a few teachers and counselors were trying to meet those needs out of their own pockets,” Groover said.

Those interested in donating to the school supply drive or any of other JA projects should contact Groover at 601-597-8244 or go to the Natchez JA chapter Facebook page.