SMDRA Partners with A Precious Child for the Fill A Back Pack Program
A Precious Child collects donated new backpacks and school supplies for children in the most need in the community. Backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies are distributed to children through our Resource Center as well as our agency partners which include schools, human services organizations, at-risk youth centers, homeless shelters and foster care organizations.
The Fill A Backpack program ensures underprivileged children get to start the first day of school feeling confident and prepared to succeed academically. Children living in poverty face many challenges and tremendous stigmatization. Showing up on the first day of school without the proper tools can make a child look and feel different from their classmates which can be both embarrassing and stressful. Each year, the school supply lists grows and families in need struggle to find a way to ensure their children have the necessary supplies required by the school.
In 2016, 42% of all Colorado students, 358,899 children, qualified for the Free or Reduced Lunch Program (Colorado Kids Count). With the average parent spending $107.76 on each child for school supplies every year (National Retail Federation), it is no surprise that families living in poverty simply cannot afford the expense of school supplies for their children. In 2019 19,500 Colorado children will be touched by A Precious Child’s Fill A Back Program.
A HUGE THANK YOU to all who donated and participated in this drive for such a necessary cause and program!
For more information about A Precious Child, visit their website at www.apreciouschild.org/