July 17, 2008

Family Giving Tree seeks sponsors to help fill thousands
of backpacks for low-income children

The Family Giving Tree is in the midst of holding its eighth annual Back-to-School Drive and is seeking sponsors to donate backpacks and school supplies to local low-income children.

“This year more than ever we are seeing the effect of poverty in the Bay Area,” said Jennifer Cullenbine, FGT executive director. “We are urging people to visit our Web site at www.familygivingtree.org and sponsor a child online or through their companies or through Peet’s Coffee locations at El Paseo de Saratoga, in Milpitas or in Cupertino.”

In 2007, together with caring companies and organizations, the Family Giving Tree helped 15,000 low-income children in the California Free or Reduced Lunch Program (Title I) program by providing them with a new backpack containing the tools they need to succeed. This year there are 227, 826 children enrolled in the Title I program in the following Bay Area counties: Santa Clara County - 87,614; Alameda County - 80,348; San Francisco County - 32,415; and in San Mateo County - 27,449 children are enrolled. 

This year more than 200 Silicon Valley host companies are committed to collecting much-needed backpacks and school supplies for low-income children by the start of the new school year. Each host business or organization will promote the drive at their facility and ask both their employees and customers to fill a new backpack.

The collection of supplies and backpacks takes place through mid August with distribution just in time to start the school year. This year, the program anticipates helping thousands of children by working with over 90 social service agencies and schools throughout the Bay Area who will be receiving the backpacks for their low-income students.

For more information, visit www.familygivingtree.org.