Backpacks for Kids Program

It was a great sight to see adults and youth come together to help stuff 424 backpacks with donated supplies to help children in need. These backpacks were then given, free of charge, to 17 schools to distribute to kids who need them. Kids like, the 3rd Grade GATE student who had a broken backpack and couldn’t afford to replace it; the 5th Grade foster child who was moved from school to school without any supplies; or the 1st Grader who thought the backpack was on loan for the day, and beamed from ear to ear when she realized it was hers to keep!  A special thanks to the co-chairs of the project, Tanya Nichols and Bertie Areias who worked for months planning and collecting donated supplies to make this wonderful program possible. And of course without those who donated supplies and came on "stuffing day" to put the backpacks together we would not have been able to help so many children and families.


 History: Since the fall of 2006 the Hughson Family Resource Center Board of Directors became aware of the need for
backpacks for the students returning to the new school year.
Many parents came into our center and asked if we knew of a source for free backpacks.

The Board of Directors began asking businesses and individuals for donations for the
2007 school year and by spring had collected $2000
which was used to purchase several hundred backpacks and supplies. Many supplies were donated
by individuals and large office supply stores. Backpacks were supplied with grade appropriate
necessities and included pens, pencils, paper, rulers, etc., and for high school students – calculators.

During the 2007 year, 237 backpacks were handed out to needy students from the east Stanislaus County
area of Waterford, Hickman and Hughson. This included students from Kindergarten to 12th grade.

In 2008 we were able to distribute 272 backpacks for the returning students in the same grade level and same geographical area.

In 2009 we were able to distribute 300 backpacks for the returning students in the same grade level and same geographical area.

In 2010 we were able to distribute 480 backpacks for the returning students in the same grade level and same geographical area.

In 2011 we were able to distribute 300 backpacks for the returning students in the same geographical area.

In 2012 we were able to distribute 426 backpacks.