When parents are struggling to put food on the table, there is often no way to purchase other items that may not be necessities. Items such as backpacks can’t always be a priority. That’s why, for over a decade, Tabitha’s Way Food Pantries in American Fork and Spanish Fork are providing help for children in hopes of alleviating some of the stress on parents. The public can already begin helping with this project.

Each year in August, hundreds of needy children in Utah County are given backpacks filled with school supplies from the food pantries. Tabitha’s Way is inviting community members to help with donations of items, which can be taken to the pantries throughout the summer.

Brand new backpacks can be filled with school supplies and donated or different supplies can be donated and those will be put into backpacks. Suggested items for backpacks include: colored pencils, crayons, markers, pens, glue sticks, folders, notebooks, rulers, pencil pouches or boxes and lined paper.

Even though some schools supply these items for students, they do not supply backpacks. Also, many children do not have items such as crayons, paper, glue sticks, pens or notebooks at home. Often, children want to use the skills that they are learning at school to practice at home, but they don’t have the needed supplies. As a teacher, I always encourage my young students to write stories at home. Over the years, many have told me that they don’t have paper or pencils to use. When given these backpacks, children can use the items at school or at home.

The north and south pantries work with local school districts to either provide vouchers for children or to give the backpacks to children in need at school. Some are also given to children whose parents get help from the pantries with food.

Some fun ways to collect school supplies and backpacks this summer include: a neighborhood school supply block party, a school supply 5K, a BYOB (Bring Your Own Backpack) work party, a school supply scavenger hunt and a backpack breakfast — bring a backpack, eat some grub.

Many parents are already beginning to worry about how they will purchase new school clothes, pay school fees and buy supplies. Communities can come together to help out. For more information, check out the Tabitha’s Way Local Food Pantry North County or the Tabitha’s Way Local Food Pantry South County.