Catholic Community Services collects backpacks

Intermountain Catholic

+ Enlarge

Janet Healy (left), CCS volunteer coordinator, Raul Yumul, CCS assistant volunteer coordinator, and Knight of Columbus Patrick Garcia help unload some of the 373 backpacks donated by Saint Vincent de Paul parishioners.IC photo/Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — More than 800 backpacks were collected in the annual Catholic Community Services back-to-school drive to provide children in need with school supplies as they return to the classroom.

CCS has been partners with Fox 13 for the past few years to collect the backpacks and school supplies; Backpack Bonanza was held at CCS’ Saint Vincent de Paul dining hall in Salt Lake City Aug. 19.

The backpacks will be distributed Aug. 25, beginning at 8 a.m. at the St. Vincent de Paul dining hall on a first-come first-served basis to children in CCS’ emergency assistance program, refugee resettlement program and children of those attending treatment at St. Mary’s Home for Men.

"We serve thousands of children between these three programs," said Lauren McCarty, CCS public relations and marketing coordinator. "These backpacks are going to children living in families on the brink of homelessness and to refugees who just arrived in this country without anything. It will be very helpful for these kids to get a new backpack and supplies to start the school year off right."

Of the children who will receive backpacks, more than 40 have a father or grandfather receiving treatment at St. Mary’s Home for Men, said Wendy Stilson, director. "These donations are wonderful because so many of our clients are unemployed and just trying to get well," she said.

"CCS serves a wide variety of clients, and this drive helps us specifically target the children of our community," said Brad Drake, CCS executive director. "If we help children succeed in school, we lay the foundation for them to become productive, self-sufficient adults."

This event is held in August, right before school starts, because school supplies are an expense families in need can’t afford, McCarty said. "We are just trying to help them out and really give them supplies so they can start school prepared and come home and study as well," she said.

Various businesses, church groups and individuals contributed to the backpack drive, said Janet Healy, CCS volunteer coordinator.

Matt McLaughlin, a Servpro marketing representative, donated five backpacks in the morning and brought some more by that afternoon. "I’m the marketing rep for Servpro, a local franchise for water, fire, clean-up and restoration, and contacted all the other Servpro locations to put together some backpacks," he said. "We have a national account with Catholic Mutual and I saw the announcement on the diocesan website."

Knight of Columbus Tim Daily dropped off 373 backpacks collected from Saint Vincent de Paul parishioners. He also presented CCS with a check for $1,000 from an anonymous donor from St. Vincent de Paul Parish. To collect the backpacks, the Knights handed out tags with a child’s age and gender, and asked families to sponsor them. "The parishioners selected a tag and bought a backpack for that child and filled it with supplies," said Daily.

St. Vincent de Paul Knight of Columbus Patrick Garcia said this is the sixth year the Knights have participated in Backpack Bonanza.

To receive a backpack on distribution day, the child’s parent or legal guardian must show their identification, the child’s birth certificate and proof of need with an income statement, said McCarty.