Backpack-A-Thon

hiladelphia and Southern New Jersey A Good Start to the School Year is in the Bag It wasn’t long after school ended for my children in June that I noticed “Back to School” sale signs in some of the stores I frequented. While odd to see bargains on notebooks, binders and pencils at the height of summer vacation, I guess it is a step in the right direction as more and more people make efforts to ensure their children have everything they need for the start of a new school year. Unfortunately, some parents do not have the resources to take advantage of these opportunities to equip their children with even the most basic tools necessary to succeed in school. In Pennsylvania, more than 18 percent (or roughly 490,000) of children live in poverty. Across the Delaware River, more than 14 percent (or nearly 280,000) of children are living in poverty in New Jersey. When parents are finding it difficult to make ends meet because of unemployment or underemployment, having a brand new backpack full of all the essentials often becomes less of a priority or possibility. That’s where our 2013 Backpack-A-Thon steps in because we believe that all children deserve a chance to arrive to school prepared with everything they need to succeed on the first day and every day throughout the year! On August 7, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey will partner with Cradles to Crayons to bring together more than 400 volunteers who will fill 22,000 backpacks with school supplies for low-income children throughout our region. In addition to being filled with the care of compassionate volunteers from local businesses, the backpacks will have all new supplies to help children start the back-to-school season off right, including pencils, pens, erasers, rulers, flash drives, calculators, binders and much, much more! This event wouldn’t be possible without the support of our engaged partners, including Platinum Sponsors FMC, Citizens Bank and The Philadelphia Eagles. Additional sponsors include: Aberdeen Asset Management, Inc., CIGNA, Fox & Roach Charities, Walmart, ACE Group, Altria Group, Bank of America, Beneficial Bank, First Niagara Bank, Reed Technology, Sovereign Bank, Target and US Airways. We hope you might find a way to support this initiative by sponsoring a completely filled backpack. You’ll be doing more than just helping a child start off the school year on the right foot; you’ll be giving a child a much-needed boost of confidence! To learn how you can help, visit www.UnitedForImpact.org/backpackathon, emailactioncenter@uwgpsnj.org or call 215-665-2501. Sincerely, Jill Michal President and CEO United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey