THOMASVILLE — A partnership between Goodwill Industries of the Big Bend and Envision Credit Union will provide students in Thomas County with vouchers to purchase school supplies.

The vouchers are valid through Nov. 30 and can be redeemed at any Goodwill store within Thomas or Decatur counties in Georgia or Jackson, Gadsden or Leon counties in Florida.

Vouchers are distributed in $20 increments and can be used or passed along to another family.

Both Thomasville City schools and Thomas County schools will receive the vouchers.

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with a great organization like Goodwill Big Bend,” said Kelli Walter, vice president of community development at Envision. “Envision’s core values are built upon supporting the education community and it’s important for us to encourage programs that directly impact the lives of students.”

A 2015 study at Harvard found that students are more likely to perform better in the classroom when they feel good about themselves. The study concluded that happiness among students is positively correlated with academic success.

The partnership between Goodwill Big Bend and Envision aims to support that belief by providing a cost-effective way to purchase back to school items that will help students generate a positive sense of self.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to do our part in promoting a fruitful learning environment within these communities,” said Fred Shelfer Jr., president of Goodwill Big Bend. “Our team recognizes that when students feel good about themselves, they are more likely to do better in the classroom. We hope that these vouchers will assist families during the back to school season.”