Nearly 700 backpacks and counting.
The United Way of Bruce Grey has been busy gathering supplies and stuffing backpacks to ensure every area child has the school essentials they need for September.
In an update issued Sunday, the coordinator of the United Way backpack program stated that, to date, the agency has received 649 requests for backpacks filled with pencil cases, notebooks, pens, crayons, and other supplies needed for back-to-school.
"The need is real, and growing, but we’re trying to keep up, thanks to the generosity of our community," the update read. "The Backpack Program is about more than school supplies, it’s about access, dignity, and equal opportunity. Every year, hundreds of families in Bruce Grey face the financial challenge of back-to-school season. With the rising cost of living, these challenges are even greater in 2025."
So far, 684 backpacks for kids from Kindergarten through to Grade 12 have been packed and are ready to be delivered to a child in need. Requests have come from local agencies and individual families.
People interested in donating to the program can do so by either dropping off school supplies at the United Way office at 380 9th Street East in Owen Sound or by making a financial donation online at www.DonateToday.ca or by calling 519-376-1560.
Since 2005, there have been 37,964 backpacks distributed to kids in Grey and Bruce counties through the program, including 2,686 handed out last year alone.