With back to school time right around the corner, a yearly program aimed at helping kids with school supplies needs your help.
Operation BackPacks helps provide local children with new backpacks and grade-appropriate school supplies – the tools they need to achieve academic success – and help alleviate the financial stress parents face each new school year.
The idea began with staff at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Emergency Department in 2001, after they learned about a similar program that was running in another community. That first year they distributed 26 backpacks. Since then, the program has steadily grown, adding additional partners along the way – Kiwanis Clubs, United Way, Service Canada, Union Gas, banks and others – to address the increasing need in our community.
Service providers came together in 2004 to ensure that families get the help they need through a more centrally co-ordinated and collective effort. United Way was asked to take the lead and currently provides administrative support for referrals from agencies, schools and parents, centralization of supply ordering, and volunteer recruitment for assembling and delivering backpacks to schools and communities.
With support from Giant Tiger, Staples, United Way of Chatham-Kent’s Women’s Leadership Council and numerous local organizations and businesses, Operation BackPacks strives to serve every child and family in need throughout Chatham-Kent.
Parents or guardians in need of assistance can request a backpack on or before Aug. 22 for their children online by visiting www.uwock.ca. Registration forms have been sent to all schools. Parents can also call 519-354-0430 to speak with the project co-ordinator. All personal information is kept private and confidential.
The United Way has already received orders for more than 1,100 backpacks that will be distributed during the last week of August. The organization is actively looking for volunteers to help pack the backpacks and to help deliver them into the hands of the service recipients.
Financial donations are also appreciated.
The easiest way is to sponsor one or multiple backpacks at $25 each. Sponsoring a backpack allows co-ordinators to monitor the quantity of supplies and ensure each child receives the supplies they need based on their grade level.
The program is in need of the following items in particular: scientific calculators, math sets, lined paper, duotangs, pens and crayons. They can be dropped off at the United Way office at 425 McNaughton Ave. W. on or before Aug. 22, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information about how you can become involved, please contact Mary Symons, Good Neighbours Co-ordinator at 519-354-0430 or goodneighbours@uwock.ca.
