FROM Annual Backpack Program Underway

FROM volunteers show off backpacks during a previous year's program..

For more than a decade, Flat River Outreach Ministries (FROM) has been outfitting Lowell area kids with new backpacks and supplies at the start of the school year. The local non-profit’s backpack program has been offered annually since 2009, and it provided backpacks and supplies to 326 children in preschool through 12th grade last year.

The program is open to families with school-age children who attend Lowell Area Schools or live in the school district. It’s intended to help those households for whom back-to-school shopping can be a financial hardship.

Parents must register online by July 31, 2020 for their child to receive a backpack. Registration can be completed on the FROM website, and backpack distribution is scheduled for August 8 and August 13. A separate registration form needs to be completed for each child.

On the distribution dates, a volunteer with help children choose from a selection of backpacks and fill it with supplies. Families are encouraged to bring their classroom school supply lists with them to ensure they collect all the items they’ll need for the upcoming year.

Community Donations Needed for Program

Backpack fitting from a previous year.

Given the current unemployment rate, demand for the backpack program may be high this year. FROM relies on community donations to ensure no child goes to school without the supplies they need.

The following are among the items being sought by the organization:

  • Masks (child and adult sizes, homemade or store bought)
  • Scissors
  • Glue sticks
  • Ticonderoga #2 pencils
  • Expo dry erase markers
  • Highlighters

FROM has also created an Amazon Wish List that includes other items needed for the program. Donations will accepted through early August and can be dropped off at FROM during its open hours.

Visit the FROM website to register or for more information. For assistance completing the registration form or if you have further questions, call FROM at 616-897-8260.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*