About 400 local kids are going back to school with all the school supplies they need thanks to the Backpack Buddies of Sudbury campaign.
For the fourth year in a row, Brady Storage Solutions, along with Cooper Equipment Rentals, held the annual campaign,collecting donations throughout the year to offer school supplies for Our Children, Our Future, and for disadvantaged families going back to school.
Backpacks, filled with supplies such as binders, pens, lunch bags and just about everything else a student needs, are offered to school-age children, all the way to high school.
The backpacks are the result of fundraising as well as donations, and families wishing to take advantage of the supplies register for the giveaway.
It’s a little different this year, as it was last year, with pandemic restrictions limiting the fun from the past, where the Sudbury Wolves and Sudbury firefighters would liven the event, but it’s not something that Melanie Pelletier of Brady Storage Solutions is going to complain about.
In fact, they had more donations last year than any previous year.
Pelletier said that the backpack drive began after a winter clothing drive in 2018, when she and Derek Cashmore of Cooper Equipment decided to create an event geared specifically to children.
Pelletier said with kids of her own, she understands how tough it is to get by.
“I know how a lot of parents struggle,” said Pelletier. She said the first year was a great success. “And since 2018, we've collected 1,500 bags,” said Pelletier. “And this year, we've got just about 400 bags.”
Registrations took place Aug. 3 to 11, and the backpacks were distributed in a COVID-safe way Aug. 19 at the Brady Street location of Brady Storage Solutions.
Lynne Ethier of Our Children, Our Future said she wouldn’t have missed it - even with a very large cast on her leg.
Ethier greeted those picking up their backpacks and said that every year she is thrilled to be a part of the event. She said it’s all about community engagement and it is a great help to the families she works with.
“It’s another way that we're able to help families, vulnerable families, save a few dollars,” said Ethier. “They can put it toward food, school needs, or any other needs that they might have.”
She said the families involved are very appreciative of the donations.
Many of the families just really appreciate the gesture of just a free bag, that's where it really makes a difference.” said Ethier. “We're hearing a lot of ‘God bless you,’ and ‘Thank you for doing this.’ They're very, very happy. I mean, there's hundreds of kids getting help.”
Pelletier said this year the campaign has benefited from donations from groups like Khalsa Aid International, and that they are happy to collect donations all year long, not just when it is time for back to school.
If you would like to donate to the Backpack Buddies of Sudbury for next year’s event, feel free to contact Brady Storage Solutions. As well, they are beginning to take donations now for their winter clothing drive, so feel free to reach out.
You can find the Backpack Buddies of Sudbury by clicking here, or visit Brady Storage Solutions at bradystorage.ca.
