Volunteers of America Has Our Student’s Backs

It’s officially back to school season and that means back to school shopping. In some families, parents are frantically running to three different stores trying to find a particular calculator required for the 6th grade; and kids are looking for a Jojo Siwa backpack that perfectly matches their binder. Other families are struggling to find any calculator or backpack they can afford.

According to CareerBuilder, 78% of U.S. workers live paycheck to paycheck. This leaves little money left over for school supplies, and less than 25% of students who lack proper school supplies graduate from high school. That’s where Volunteers of America (VoA) comes in. The nonprofit established a charity to help provide students with the supplies they need to make it to graduation day.

Operation Backpack fills backpacks with grade-specific utensils for impoverished students from Pre-K to Pre-College across 11 states. People can make backpack donations, fill a backpack with supplies, organize a drive and volunteer through it. VoA has an ad for the charity that features kids who’ve received help from Operation Backpack.

The spot shows the children sitting in a classroom with their own backpack. They discuss why it’s important to have one and what they keep in theirs. One girl says, “You fit in with a backpack because it’s like everyone else.” Another girl pulls a worm out of hers. The ad is endearing and provides a reason for people to donate, “Because every child deserves to be ready for their first day of school.”

If you want to give students supplies to get them through to graduation, you can donate here. VoA explains, “It’s not just about paper, pens, or binders—it’s about giving the gift of opportunity in school and life that many children will not receive otherwise.”