Getting off on the right foot from the first day of school to the last day is essential for the educational experiences of all children. The United Way of Bruce Grey wants to help make this a reality for all students in the region and giving them the right tools to succeed is crucial. This is emphasized in the cornerstone philosophy of the United Way's Backpack Program - "Every child has a backpack – every backpack has a child." In 2016, over 2,300 backpacks were provided to area children.

The Backpack Campaign provides basic school supplies for low income children in Bruce-Grey. While providing school supplies helps children succeed academically, many teachers have advised that the Program has helped remove bullying from the classroom.

The United Way is pleased to announce the hiring of Arden Lawson as this summer's Backpack Coordinator. She is looking for volunteers to help fundraise and collect school supplies, as well as assemble the fully stocked backpacks. You can contact Arden at [email protected].

To meet the need for the local area, the goal is to build 2,017 backpacks. Packing and distributing such a large number of backpacks requires an extensive amount of supplies to help children in primary school to high school. Among the needed supplies are over 15,000 pencils, 11,000 pens, 2,000 pencil cases, and binders and rulers among many others.

Every year, the United Way hosts "Stuff the Bus" drives in partnerships with local businesses where members of the community can make a donation. This year the drive is being held at Staples in Owen Sound from Thursday, August 24th to Saturday, August 26th. Your help and support will make a big difference in the lives of vulnerable children and youth in Bruce-Grey.

If you need to access this program, please register through 211.

source: media release, United Way Bruce Grey