By Nigel Maxwell

Fill-a-Backpack initiative helps local families in need

Jun 19, 2018 | 2:06 PM

Some local organizations have teamed up to help take some pressure off families in northeast Saskatchewan.

Operation Fill-a-Backpack is a joint initiative by Partners to End Poverty and The Salvation Army. The bags, filled with donated school supplies, are given to families who may otherwise struggle buying supplies for their children. Melfort Captain Jennifer Robins said having a child in school is the only requirement for a family to receive a backpack.

“No matter who you are, it can be really expensive when it comes time to go back to school and fill up the backpack,” she said.

Robins said anyone interested in helping the initiative can donate backpacks and school supplies, or make a monetary donation at the Melfort, Nipawin or Tisdale Salvation Army offices. She said the school supplies they’re looking for include binders, scissors, erasers, dividers, lunch boxes, and crayons.

“Some families have just been so happy, because they have a number of children and things have been tight, and they are just relieved they don’t have to worry about that at least for a while,” she said. “There’s so many other things the money can go to, like making sure bills are paid to keep the roof over their head.”

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This year marks the fourth year for the program, and Robins said she has seen demand increase each year. Last year more than 121 backpacks were distributed in Melfort, 46 were handed out in Tisdale, 88 went to families in Nipawin, and 25 were given out in Hudson Bay. The deadline for a family to register is August 17, and the backpacks will be distributed the following week. Robins said they cannot guarantee every family in need will receive a backpack, but she said she is thankful for all the support.

“People in our communities are just waiting for something to do to be supportive, so this is kind of a great opportunity and it helps people directly,” she said.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell