A partnership headed into its 11th year between the City of San Pablo and Family Giving Tree Agency is poised to equip undeserved children in the city with backpacks filled with school supplies to start the new school year.
Launched in 1995, the Family Giving Tree’s annual Back-to-School drive aims to close the educational gap for underserved K-12 students. Backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies are collected and delivered to Bay Area students through schools and agencies.
In 2019, 41,648 backpacks were distributed through 257 partner schools and agencies, according to the organization. In 2019, 3,130 backpacks were distributed across five elementary schools, one middle school and one high school in San Pablo, Edgar Medina of Dover Elementary told NBC Bay Area.
“At retail, a backpack with school and STEAM-based supplies can range from $65 (Elementary) to $100 (High School),” according to the Family Giving Tree. “For those living under the federal poverty line, often there are no funds left over for books and school supplies – even the basics of pencils and paper. When these supplies are not available in the home, homework often goes undone.”
Want to support this effort? The Family Giving Tree is always looking for donations to make bulk-purchase gifts, to partner with organizations that lead a backpack drive, and volunteers to help sort and prep backpacks for participating schools and nonprofits.
For more information on the program and how to support the effort, click here.
