ST. GEORGE — The start of a new school year requires a lot of stuff: pencils, paper, notebooks and backpacks.
This can be an exciting part of getting back to reading, writing and arithmetic. For some families, however, coming up with the needed supplies can be tough. That’s where a number of individuals and non-profit groups come to the rescue for students in the Washington County School District.
Backpacks for Kids
Each year, hundreds of volunteers gather to fill donated backpacks with supplies for kids in Washington County. The Backpacks for Kids program started almost 20 years ago by filling 15 backpacks with school supplies. Since then, the need has grown exponentially. This year, the group stuffed around 700 backpacks, each containing age-appropriate materials. Steve Tippetts, president of Backpacks for Kids said the number of backpacks needed this year is down from 900 last year.
“I believe it’s down because more organizations are getting involved,” Tippetts said.
In advance of the coming school year, which commences Thursday, volunteers were organized in assembly lines to fill new backpacks with supplies. With so many people showing up to help, it only took about a half hour to get the backpacks ready to deliver to the Washington County School District.
From there, the backpacks are discretely given to students so they have the supplies they need when school starts. Tippetts, said the average cost to fill a backpack is around $35, although that price can go up to about $45 if high ticket items are needed.
Backpacks for Kids financial secretary Kim Hugentobler said the program relies on donations from corporate sponsors like Costco, Walmart, and Cache Valley Bank. Groups like the Dixie Elks Lodge, the St. George Sunrise Rotary and Summit Sotheby’s Cares are among the civic organizations that also contribute. Additionally, numerous individuals step up with contributions of both time and money.
“This year we raised about $20,000,” Hugentobler said. “So far we’ve spend around $11,000 purchasing backpacks and supplies.”
All hands on deck
Sending kids to school with the supplies they need fits in well with the mission of several non-profit organizations in Washington County. The Dixie Elks Lodge has been involved with the Backpacks for Kids program for several years. Exalted Ruler Bob Matteson said they held a fundraiser in the spring which raised nearly $3,500 for the program.
“It does great things for this community,” Matteson said. “We want to give back to this community, and we do it on a regular basis.”
Similarly, the St. George Sunrise Rotary Club has donated funds from a charity event to Backpacks for Kids. President David Nelson said this year, their group was able to deliver a check for $2,800 so each kid could start the semester on equal footing with school supplies.
“We thought it would be important that they showed up no matter what their economic situation was with a backpack full of the supplies they need for the school year,” Nelson said.
Washington County resident Kati Lindquist was motivated to help kids get school supplies when a family member received assistance in the form of three backpacks last year. Wanting to give back, Lindquist spearheaded an effort all on her own. Using donations from local sponsors like Best Deals Springs, St. George OBGYN, Bryce Christensen Excavating, JKR Windows and Holbrook Asphalt, Lindquist raised $1,150 which was enough to fill 100 backpacks with school supplies.
“I have been so impressed with these local businesses,” Lindquist said. “It says so much about local businesses that they are so willing to help local students.”
Lindquist is adding the backpacks to a collection of school supplies being gathered at Findlay Subaru as part of a “Fill the Bus” program. School supplies collected at Findlay Subaru will be delivered to the Washington County School District offices throughout the month of August.
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