MCPS Seeks Donations for Give BACKpacks Campaign

August 18, 2014

There’s still time to donate to the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Give BACKpacks campaign. The district is working to raise funds to purchase backpacks filled with school supplies for students in need, which will be distributed at the start of the 2014-2015 school year.

To date, the district has raised approximately $153,000 and will provide more than 17,000 backpacks to students at 43 MCPS schools. But there is an even greater need.

Nearly 52,000 MCPS students receive free and reduced-price meals—an indicator of poverty—and many MCPS families struggle to afford basic necessities like school supplies. The Give BACKpacks campaign was created in 2013 in response to this growing need.

A $10 donation will provide a student with a new backpack, filled with school supplies. Donors are welcome to give any amount, but also have the option to give at the following levels:

$300—will provide backpacks for a class
$1,500—will provide backpacks for a grade level
$6,500—will provide backpacks for a school
$25,000 and up—will provide backpacks for a cluster (high school, middle school and elementary school in the same community)

MCPS has already received generous donations from hundreds of parents, staff and community members, as well as businesses, organizations and foundations. Among the donations:

· Educational Systems Federal Credit Union—$25,000
· Kits for Kidz—$25,000
· Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA)—$8,000
· Wegmans—$7,500
· Capital One Bank—$6,500

Last year, MCPS raised over $100,000 and nearly 15,000 students at 41 MCPS schools received backpacks filled with school supplies.

For more information and to donate, visit www.mcpsgivebackpacks.org or call 301-279-3100.

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