Pack A Backpack Continues to Help Kids Be Prepared for School
Every year families struggle to pay for school supplies, and this year the need is even greater. And that need is expected to continue to increase as the number of families experiencing poverty is likely to increase in the aftermath of COVID-19. The impact of this year’s Pack-a-Backpack campaign is greater than ever, and Denver7, Les Schwab Tires, Larry H. Miller Dealerships and The Salvation Army worked together to supply backpacks and schools supplies to more kids than previous years.
Through the month of July, Denver7, Les Schwab Tires, Larry H. Miller Dealerships and The Salvation Army collected school supplies for children in need in Denver Metro. Donations included backpacks, boxes of crayons, washable markers, colored pencils, #2 pencils, big erasers, highlighters, scissors, Elmer’s glue, folders, 2” binders, spiral notebooks, loose-leaf paper, rulers, hand sanitizer and other basic school supplies.
The Salvation Army, with the help of our partners, was able to serve over 3,000 kids with new backpacks and schools supplies for the upcoming school year! Martha Cisneros, a cultural liaison for in the Douglas County School system says “The Pack A Backpack program shows that the community cares, and the need is so great. The kids are so excited, and the families are so appreciative.” Martha shared that about fifty percent of the families in the area she serves are considered “high need” families.
“The Pack A Back Program provides peace of mind,” says Monica Moreno, a mother of six. “I have four kids in middle school and high school and two that are still at home. I am so grateful for whatever we get for school supplies. We have been living paycheck to paycheck, especially during COVID, and these supplies will help us to be able to afford other items we need.”
The school supplies have benefitted families who come to The Salvation Army for help, as well as local schools throughout Denver Metro. “The cost of new school supplies can quickly add up, which often forces families to make tough choices on whether or not to buy supplies for their children,” Major Mike Dickinson, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army said. “Having the right tools to succeed on the first day can make all the difference. So, through the Pack A Backpack campaign, The Salvation Army hopes to take away that tough choice so that children can start the school year with the supplies they need.”
Serving more than 3,000 kids with new school’s supplies would not have been possible without Denver 7, Larry H. Miller Dealerships, Les Schwab Tire Centers, our generous donors, and the amazing support from the community.
. 