We’re incredibly excited and thankful to have completed our first backpack drive! We recently donated over 1,000 backpacks to help provide school supplies for kids in our local community.
We would like to recognize and say a special ’thank you’ to Kowalski’s Markets for providing us with a grant to make this initiative possible. We would also like to thank one of our board members—Heather James & her husband Reckie James—for the generous contribution they made to this initiative. Reckie owns Gear Bags Plus—a high-quality bag retailer here in the Twin Cities—and when he and Heather heard about this project, they jumped to help. Through Gear Bags Plus, we were able to purchase 1,000 discounted backpacks from grant revenues earmarked for children. We’re so thankful to both Kowalski’s Markets and Reckie and Heather for their generosity to us. Without them this project simply would not have been possible.
Finally, through a recent connection made with Family Values For Life, we donated the backpacks to be distributed at their 11th Annual Back-to-School Giveaway with First Covenant Church (see photos above). At this event on Wednesday, August 25th, over 900 backpacks were filled and given away to kids from all over the Twin Cities Metro area. These backpacks, filled with essential school supplies, were delivered to those in our community who need them most.
As you can tell, this is a true community inspired, backed, and focused project. And it’s one of the things we love to facilitate here at United Family Medicine.