Every child deserves a great first day of school! With back-to-school time quickly approaching this September, children and teens are preparing to return to in-person learning. For 13-year-old student, Leah, this school year brings a fresh start.
After several weeks in the hospital undergoing treatment for severe and persistent mental illness, Leah has overcome the trauma of abuse and neglect and continues to welcome help with her coping skills. She is now feeling healthy and ready to tackle her last year of middle school.
As a part of the Oaks Foster FLEX program, Leah shared her nerves for the upcoming school year along with her optimism that she can succeed. She would love a new backpack and supplies to return to school with confidence this year as she now enters a new school with all new peers.
Like Leah, many children in Oaks Integrated Care programs cannot afford new backpacks and basic school supplies for the upcoming school year. Each year, Oaks hosts Operation Fill-A-Backpack to collect and distribute backpacks filled with school supplies to over 1,000 children and teens in our programs.
Ways to Get Involved
1) Give a Monetary Donation
Donate today! Your $25 donation will ensure one child or teen receives a NEW backpack filled with school supplies. Pencils, notebooks, crayons, folders, binders, rulers and more. Donate $100 and support four students this school year!
2) Hold Your Own Donation Drive
Collect NEW backpacks and school supplies with your family, friends, co-workers or community group!
3) Drop Off Donations
Check out our list of donation ideas! Drop of donations of NEW backpacks and school supplies to an Oaks Food Pantry:
770 Woodlane Road, Suite 16
Mount Holly, NJ 08060
128 Cross Keys Road
Berlin, NJ 08009
Donation Ideas:
- Backpacks & lunchboxes
- Pens, pencils, erasers, pencil cases
- Crayons, markers, highlighters
- Three-ring binders with paper
- Pocket folders
- Spiral bound & composition notebooks
- Calculators (solar & scientific)
- Protractors, rulers, index cards
- Scissors & glue sticks
- Facial tissues, anti-bacterial, hand sanitizer
Donations are being accepted now through August 13, 2021. Your support can make a difference for children like Leah as they head back to school this fall. For more information, please contact Addy Castellar at 609-267-5928, x99836 or aldelise.castellar@oaksintcare.org.
