The Chestermere Food Bank is helping families get back to school ready with the Backpack Program.
With donations from the community, the team at the food bank is filling backpacks with school supplies for all grades and ages, to ensure Chestermere students are ready for the school year.
“It’s gone well. We have received a lot of support from the community,” Chestermere Food Bank President Laurie Dunn said. “This program is so important for the youth in our community because it equips students with the tools needed to help and even the playing field and prepare them for a successful school year and beyond.”
Donations can be dropped off in any food bank bin location in Chestermere, including Safeway, No Frills, ReMax Key, Chestermere Public Library Library, ATB, Scotiabank, CRCA, Chestermere Tire, Sylvan Learning and Lake City Cannabis until Aug. 20.
Donations of gender-neutral backpacks, duo tangs, Hilroy notebooks, pencil cases, pencil crayons, highlighters, black and blue pens, white erasers, glue sticks, metric rulers, and calculators are accepted.
“We don’t often receive calculators, especially the graphing ones for those in higher grades,” Dunn said.
Although the registration date to receive a backpack ended on Aug. 15, the team at the food bank will do their best to accommodate anyone who needs to use the program.
Visit http://chestermerefoodbank.ca/backpack-program/ to receive a backpack.
Dunn expects the registration numbers for the program will exceed last year’s numbers.
Without the continued support of Chestermere residents, programs such as the Backpack Program wouldn’t be possible.
“I would like to thank the community for their ongoing support to ensure that nobody in Chestermere is left behind,” Dunn said.
For more information on the Backpack Program, or other programs the food bank offers visit, http://chestermerefoodbank.ca/.
