Most of us remember what it was like as a kid on that first day of school. Your backpack is full of fresh school supplies. The way that giant box of crayons smells when you open it for the first time.
But for kids from families who can’t afford their supplies, that first day of school can be tough.
That’s where the Back to School Alliance comes in. The organization is planning its annual backpack and school supply distribution day starting at 12 p.m. Aug. 8 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
“As a (retired) first-grade teacher, there's nothing sadder than having a couple kids who don’t have anything,” said Jan Meadows, the Back to School Alliance chair, on GLT's Sound Ideas.
Back to School Alliance plans to distribute 3,000 donated backpacks with the help of 300 volunteers, said Meadows. That makes a huge difference, she said, but the organization would need to fill 6,000-7,000 backpacks to serve every kid would be eligible to receive them.
In Bloomington-Normal, 1 in 3 public school students are eligible based on their family’s household income, Meadows said. When she first got involved in the effort, it was only 1 in 4.
“I'm very surprised by that,” she said.
You can learn more about how to donate supplies see a school supply shopping list at Back2SchoolAlliance.org or the organization’s Facebook page.
You can also listen to the full interview with Meadows below:
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