August 15, 2019
As the summer comes to a close, there is a collective groan that settles over most communities. That is the sound of kids realizing that school is just around the corner. Most parents try to hide their excitement as everyone prepares for a new year of learning, activities and growth.
For some parents, the new school year is another need that puts a strain on an already tight budget. That is where we come in.
Since 2011, Pack2School has been there to provide a reprieve for families while providing a fun and engaging school supplies shopping experience for students. Each year, we take over the Northside Aztlan Center and transform the gym into a fun and safe area where magic happens! One half of the gym is our shopping area, where students choose the color of their backpack, hand-select their pencils and engage with an adult that is there to encourage and support them as the prepare for the new school year. The other half, a giant Innovation Station where kiddos of all ages can play with Legos, Jenga, learn about 3D printing and design and discover they have the power to give back and make the communities better.
This year, we decided to level up.
We invited one of our partners, Convoy of Hope, to join us to help make the event even more impactful. Convoy of Hope is an organization that focuses on feeding the world through children’s feeding initiatives, community outreaches, and disaster response. Their passion for helping young people grow and thrive, coupled with our event's purpose to equip young people to grow, learn and thrive in school was a beautiful marriage! After families and students joined us for shopping and fun, they visited the Convoy of Hope area where kiddos got new shoes and socks, families received a bag of groceries and everyone enjoyed a hot dog and chips after a busy day of shopping! The addition of Convoy of Hope to Pack2School was incredible. Not only were did families receive a reprieve from the stress of purchasing school supplies, they also received additional support to help take minds off of certain worries and focus on prepping for the best school year ever!
The day was so impactful! Check out these stats:
- 1,770 Poudre School District students prepared for a new school year full of learning and fun!
- 47,683 individual pieces of supplies were given out to kiddos!
- Convoy of Hope, provided 2,750 bags of groceries to families!
- 1,626 pairs of shoes and 3,750 pairs of socks went to kiddos!
- 271 volunteers helped make the day possible!
- Countless smiles shared :)
Check out the photos from our amazing day!