Backpack Drives Equip Students with Supplies for New School Year

As students prepare to return to classrooms in early August, two significant backpack and school supply drives are making a substantial impact in the Tracy community, California. The initiatives aim to alleviate the financial burden on families by providing essential supplies for the upcoming school year.

A noteworthy contribution came from staff at Sutter Tracy Community Hospital, who donated over 800 backpacks filled with school supplies to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tracy last Friday. This donation was praised by Kelly Wilson, the chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tracy, who emphasized its importance for club members in need. Wilson stated, “This donation from Sutter of over 800 backpacks is amazing; it’s going to go a long way for all of our parents. We serve over 5,700 kids every single year, and being able to put backpacks in the hands of the kids is vital.”

The backpacks were delivered to the Lowell Avenue Clubhouse, a central location for the organization’s outreach. Wilson noted that the club operates across 27 sites within the Tracy Unified, Jefferson, and Banta Unified School Districts, as well as the city of Escalon. “All the sites are very familiar with their families, and we want to ensure that those who truly need a backpack receive one,” she added.

The backpack drive at Sutter Tracy Community Hospital was spearheaded by Rachel Hagenbaugh, the Chief Nurse Executive and a board member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tracy. Hagenbaugh highlighted the collective effort of hospital employees, stating that each contributed to filling the backpacks with appropriate supplies for students across various educational levels. “The Boys & Girls Club serves over 5,000 kids in the community, and many of those families can’t afford to buy backpacks and school supplies, so this will make a huge difference,” she remarked.

Looking ahead, Hagenbaugh mentioned that the hospital intends to continue the backpack drive annually, with an ambitious goal to collect even more in future years. “Last year we collected a little over 500, so our goal for this year was 600, and we ended up with over 800 backpacks,” she explained.

In addition to the Sutter initiative, another important drive, known as Stuff the Cruiser, is underway. This event, now in its ninth year, aims to support families in need as the school year begins. Dave Eveler, community development manager at the Community Partnership for Families of San Joaquin’s Tracy Family Resource Center, detailed the collaboration with the Tracy Police Department and Walmart on West Grant Line Road. The drive typically collects around 325 backpacks filled with supplies for low-income families registered with the Resource Center.

The Stuff the Cruiser drive offers grade-appropriate backpacks for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. “We provide backpacks for several school districts including Banta, New Jerusalem, Jefferson, and Lammersville,” Eveler noted. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, encouraging community members to donate supplies at Walmart or to drop off contributions at their office.

Eveler stressed the importance of pre-registration for families wishing to receive a backpack. “They need to come in and sign up; we may have a backpack, but we won’t have time to fill out paperwork during distribution,” he said. “It makes it so much faster to be at the head of the line. If there’s a specific backpack that the child wants, it may not be available later.”

Backpacks will be distributed starting on Wednesday at the Tracy Family Resource Center office, with assistance from Tracy Police officers to help children select their supplies. For more information or to register, families can contact the Tracy Family Resource Center at (209) 229-4922.

The collaborative efforts of local organizations illustrate a strong commitment to supporting students and families during the back-to-school season, ensuring that every child has the necessary tools to succeed.