August 9, 2007

Family Giving Tree, Sacred Heart provide backpacks for kids

Two local nonprofit groups that help those less fortunate are putting supplies in backpacks for low income families that possibly won’t be able to buy the necessary tools and the pack to carry them in that will help make a difference in what they learn.

Willow Glen High School student Delaney Bantillo, 15, helped fill backpacks with supplies at the annual Back-to-School Backpack Drive put on by The Family Giving Tree. She volunteered alongside her mom, Connie, and sisters MacKenna and Kiley. “I like the fact that the girls can relate to this volunteer opportunity because it’s about school,” said Connie.

The Family Giving Tree kicked off its seventh annual Back-to-School Drive recently and is seeking volunteers to help fill the more than 13,000 backpacks with school supplies it plans to hand out.

More than 200 host Silicon Valley companies are committed to collecting the much needed school backpacks and supplies for low-income children by the start of the new school year. Each host business is promoting the drive at their facility and is asking employees and customers to fill a new backpack.

The Back-to-School Drive collection of supplies and backpacks went through Aug. 1 with distribution the week of Aug. 13. This year the program anticipates helping more than 13,000 children by working with over 90 Bay Area social service agencies and charter schools.

School districts throughout the Bay Area will be receiving the backpacks for low-income students.

The Family Giving Tree will host more than 600 volunteers through Aug. 22 to fill thousands of new backpacks with school supplies purchased with financial donations.

The signature program sponsor is SanDisk and other major sponsors include NVIDIA, EMC, Palm, Inc., AT&T, Hitachi Global Storage, Symantec, Claria, Hyperion Cor-porate Fund, National Semicon-ductor, Santa Clara County Federal Credit Union, San Francisco Deputy Sheriff's Association and Synopsys. The program also receives in kind donations from Cold Stone Creamery, Lockheed Martin, iStar Financial, Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme, San Jose Mercury News and San Jose Label.

“Our partners have great stories about how they are motivating employees to participate in the program; we’ve even heard that there is some friendly competition between companies. A celebration luncheon on Aug. 29 will recognize the hosts and present an award to companies who filled the most backpacks in several categories,” said Andrea Stallings, program coordinator.

The Family Giving Tree’s Back-to School backpack drive will donate more than 13,000 brand new, supply-filled backpacks to local, low-income children.

Sacred Heart Community Service will distribute about 1,500 filled backpacks to local school children from low-income families on Friday, Aug. 17. The nonprofit fills each backpack with supplies such as notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, glue sticks, crayons, folders and other supplies that students entering kindergarten through grade 12 will need. “

“The unfortunate reality is that there are a growing number of families who struggle to provide their children with the necessary school supplies to have a successful start to the new school year”, said Poncho Guevara, executive director at SHCS. “Giving students the appropriate tools helps ensure they have an opportunity to learn.”

People wishing to help can donate money or supplies and filled backpacks. SHCS staff enjoys doing the shopping and says that $50 can fill one new backpack. Local companies that can provide $1,000 and that would like to help support the project can furnish enough backpacks for an entire classroom.

The group suggests those who buy supplies or donate filled backpacks can purchase pens, pencils, USB ports, scientific calculators and backpacks in all styles for all ages. School regulations do not permit red or blue backpacks.

For more information on the program, or to donate, visit www.sacredheartcommunityservice.org.