Check us out in Wicked Local this week! 

It was so great to provide 75 backpacks to Voices Against Violence again this year! Thanks to our special helpers! 

Here's a thank you note from the amazing people at Voices Against Violence:

Backpacks for Kids is moving to its new home today! Our new directors, Aryana and Noel, have been gearing up for this backpack season, reaching out to past and prospective donors, contacting service agencies, and shopping for supplies. We'll be ready to start packing in the next few weeks!

Here is a thank you note we received from Family Promise Metrowest:

Dear Meredith, Charlie, Kerrianne, and Bailey,
On behalf of all the children and parents of Family Promise Metrowest, I thank you for so generously preparing them for the new school year with backpacks and school supplies chosen to meet their specific wishes and needs. Having these necessities in place is a critical first step to a successful academic year.
I am impressed with your maturity in organizing such an extensive endeavor -- reaching over 700 students! There are many stresses facing families on the road to permanent housing. Community support such as yours makes a tremendous difference.
Network Coordinator
Family Promise Metrowest
Natick, MA

Each year, we give 200 backpacks to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston. Catholic Charities is having its annual Fashion Show on October 20th at the Four Points by Sheraton in Norwood, MA. The event consists of a cocktail hour, dinner, fashion show, and many vendor booths. All proceeds support programs that help the families we donate backpacks to, including assistance at the food pantry, youth mentoring, adult education, nursing assistant training, and elderly outreach. Most importantly, the lucky kids who wear our backpacks to school everyday will be walking in the fashion show, and we happily support them in everything they do! This event is a great way for less fortunate children to show off their confidence to their community and raise money for the programs that make their lives better. 

This is what Aura Obando, Family Team Physician at BHCHP, has to say about handing out the backpacks we donate. So much appreciation! 
Here's the link to the full article

Since school has started, we've been missing all the fun work we did this summer, but there's no better feeling than knowing we helped so many kids go back to school smiling and excited. No school work is quite as powerful and engaging as shopping for supplies and packing backpacks! 

This is the Facilities Director at BHCHP, who helped deliver their 125 backpacks around Boston before school started. BHCHP is one of the most grateful recipients of our backpacks, and we love to see where the backpacks go once they leave us. 

We received an extremely generous donation of 100 elementary school backpacks from Esperos bags this summer, a company that shares our dedication to helping every child receive an education with the supplies they need to succeed. With every backpack Esperos sells, they help fund a year of education for underprivileged children, donating 10% of their profits. We partnered with them because they were interested in sharing their efforts with children in the Boston area by providing us with wonderful backpacks to distribute.

We asked for elementary school backpacks that we gave to many lucky kids in grades K-2. The Scout backpacks, sold for $49.99, are the perfect size for a young elementary schooler to carry, easily fitting the necessities, even large sheets of construction paper. They are brightly colored on the outside, and the interiors are lined with the signature Esperos railroad stripe pattern. The canvas is water resistant, free of harmful chemicals and dyes, very durable, and comfortable to carry, but definitely made for light packing. We believe every student will feel confident with these classic looking bags that are built for function and style. 

Thanks to Esperos, so many children we helped will be carrying hope this year.