Students in need fill backpacks at A Precious Child school supply drive
- Sydney McDonald
- Apr 6, 2023
- 2 min read
Cars lined up, volunteers hustled around and kids received new backpacks and school supplies Thursday morning at A Precious Child.
The Broomfield-based nonprofit is providing more than 20,000 children in the Denver metro area with backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies for its Fill-A-Backpack drive.
“Every year, families struggle to pay for new school supplies — and with the rising costs due to inflation, the need is greater than ever,” a release from A Precious Child stated.
According to the release, backpacks and school supplies costs have jumped approximately 34% since last year.
An on-site event was held Thursday to distribute 1,300 backpacks to clients of A Precious Child. Fifty-five partner agencies will receive the rest of the backpacks, which will be handed out to children across seven counties, including Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson and Weld.
Families who were able to participate in this drive could save up to hundreds of dollars on school supplies for their children. One mother, Julieta Valles, who says she’s been a client with A Precious Child for about seven years, said as a parent on a part-time income the Fill-A-Backpack drive makes the difference for her four children.
“With the money I’m saving on all this I’m able to get them new shoes and other things they need,” Valles said.
Valles’ eldest daughter, Amy Barbosa, said being in this program allows her and her siblings to feel confident at school.
“I’m so grateful to be in this program because it gives me and my siblings a chance to feel happy and comfortable being at school,” Barbosa said.
The students were also provided with some books as well, which Barbosa said she was most excited about because she loves to read.
Ruby Gallegos, a grandmother of two young children, was at the drive stocking up on all the needed school supplies, which might not have been accessible without the help of A Precious Child.
“They’ve already been through enough in life,” Gallegos said. “I don’t want them to go to school with used backpacks and stuff. I want them to have nice supplies and clothes. Programs like this really help out individuals like me. We are so thankful to A Precious Child everyday.”
One hundred fifty free backpacks were handed out earlier this month to children who were impacted by the Marshall Fire, the release stated.
“Ninety-five percent of students who received backpacks through A Precious Child’s Fill-A-Backpack program reported being more confident in their ability to succeed in school, and 92% reported being more interested in learning,” the release reads. “Higher levels of school engagement is associated with lower rates of absenteeism, and, ultimately, higher rates of high school graduation.”
For more information on A Precious Child and the Fill-A-Backpack drive, visit apreciouschild.org.
Comentarios