partnering with local businesses and Farmington Rotary again this year to offer free backpacks and school supplies for students in greater Franklin County. Call 778-5048 to sign up for a backpack or to volunteer on Aug. 18, from 4-6 pm to help residents of Edgewood Rehab stuff the backpacks.
FARMINGTON – United Way of the Tri-Valley Area, Farmington Rotary Club, and several local businesses, ReEnergy, Wiles Remembrance Centers, Mike Cushing Stable and JWL Riding Club are partnering to offer backpacks filled with essential school supplies to any eligible student (Pre-K-12th grade) in greater Franklin County through Packs for Progress.
This program is made possible because of this unique collaboration, and with the generous support of the following: L.L. Bean, ReEnergy Holdings LLC, Barclay’s employees, Wiles Remembrance Centers, and individual donors.
In Franklin County, 21 percent of children live in poverty, and 55 percent of the county’s school-aged children qualify for free or reduced lunch (Maine Kids Count, 2013-14). This program relieves some of the economic burden on parents and helps kids succeed in school. Packs for Progress, which is in its fifth year, promises to make an even bigger impact on students’ success this year. In 2014, 250 backpacks were stuffed, 475 backpacks were distributed last year, and this year’s goal is 500 – an increase of 428 students supported from the 72 that
were distributed in the first year.
Donations are needed to help reach this new goal. Supplies or cash donations may be dropped off at United Way at 218 Fairbanks Road in Farmington. Requested items include backpacks, 3-hole punched lined paper, 1” binders, pencils, pens, spiral bound notebooks, erasers, and composition books.
On Aug. 18, from 4 – 6 p.m., Edgewood Rehab Center is hosting a backpack stuffing event, along with United Way staff and volunteers. Community members are invited to join in and help fill the backpacks so that they will be ready to go for the students. Volunteers can sign up on GetConnected.VolunteerMaine.org or call 778-5048. This event will happen rain or shine.
This is also a call out for applications! The United Way of the Tri-Valley Area is currently taking applications, which will reserve a backpack for your student. Please call United Way at 778-5048 or download one from our website: www.uwtva.org (found under what we do). Recipients must be from Franklin County, Starks, Livermore, or Livermore Falls. Backpacks may be picked at the United Way Aug. 22 or Aug. 23, from 8 – 4 p.m.
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