Backpack drive
Supplies for high school and college students
Supporting teens’ school needs
Amazing local organizations also provide supplies to kids in foster care. However, they are often focused on younger kids’ supplies.
As a result, older kids in care tend to get what’s left over from these drives, and while small packs and crayons are necessities for a 3rd grade student, they won’t be much help when cramming for a trig final.
In addition to our yearly drive, we keep a stock of school supplies at our Lloyd Center storefront year-round.
Teens can pick up new supplies as needed when old supplies wear out or their class schedules change.
What sets our backpack drive apart?
Our teens select items that suit their tastes, fit their bodies, and meet their individual needs.
High school and college-age focus
We collect and deliver sturdy, appropriately sized backpacks filled with school supplies meant for high school and college students. We look to go beyond basics, providing scientific and graphing calculators, day planners, thumb drives, and more.
Tailored to teens’ specific class schedules
Teens get to “shop” for their own supplies for their specific classes and extracurricular activities. For example, they may not need a protractor if they’re not taking geometry this year.
We don’t assume what they need; they tell us.
Personal choice in backpack styles
Some teens, especially in group care, feel like they stand out when they all wear the same backpack, leading to social alienation. Rather than buying one kind of backpack in bulk, we supply a variety of backpacks in different styles to fit teens’ individual tastes.
Sponsor a school supply!
As the number of teens we serve grows, so does our need for these supplies. Each year, more and more local businesses, community action groups, and even individual donors have chosen to sponsor one whole school supply.
These champions run their own drives and collections to provide big lots of one specific item, like
✍️ Highlighters
📓 Notebooks
💻 Laptops
💵 Funds for individual needs
Interested in finding out more? Want to share an idea for a drive? Contact us! We’re excited to work with our community to help these teens succeed and thrive.
Past champions
Provided 300 notebooks
ProTek offered customers a 5% discount with the option to donate the discount to providing school supplies for teens in care.
Provided locally made backpacks
North St donated two locally made and designer backpacks that will last our teens a lifetime.