Thousands of Backpacks Packed for Annual Foster Care Drive by Kids to Love Volunteers

MADISON, Alabama — This summer, foster children all over Alabama will receive between four and six thousand backpacks filled with school supplies, courtesy of Madison-based non-profit, Kids to Love.

The organization has been leading the More Than a Backpack drive for over 15 years, preparing students from kindergarten all the way up to college for the forthcoming academic year.

The Vital Need for Backpacks

For foster care children who bounce from home to home, carrying their clothes and personal belongings can become a daunting task. In some cases, they have to resort to using trash bags.

“More often than not, kids come into care with absolutely nothing,” said Operations Director Tasha Jones. She highlighted that each backpack is filled with basic supplies such as pencils, pens, and notebooks. Additional items like calculators and rulers are included based on the student’s age and grade level.

Community Support for the Drive

The support from community partnerships and local donations has made the drive possible. One of the volunteers, Alex Phillips, expressed her motivation to assist this year was to ensure that foster kids have access to the same school supplies as her own children.

The need for supplies is not limited to the start of the school year. Jones pointed out that the nonprofit requires resources throughout the year. She explained, “If a foster parent informs us they have a twelve-year-old who lacks school supplies, we can take from these boxes and provide what they require. So, it’s more than a service for the back-to-school period; it’s a need that lasts all year long.”

Wide Distribution

The supplied backpacks are scheduled for distribution across Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi. The backpacks are fully organized, prepped, and ready for delivery.

There are collection boxes available at every branch of CB&S Bank for those who wish to contribute to the drive. The drive concludes on July 29. For anyone interested in donating or volunteering for Kids to Love, more information can be found on their website.