The sixth annual Backpack Program organized by Cochrane Family Community and Support Services (FCSS) is back to provide backpacks and school supplies to assist children in need.
Annemarie Tocher is the coordinator at the Resource Centre. She said that there has been a 20 – 30 per cent increase in requests for backpacks every year since the program started in 2009. Last year, they supplied 101 children with backpacks.
FCSS is still looking for donations to supply local students with backpacks and supplies.
She pointed out that this could be a particularly difficult time of year for people who are living on lower incomes, because there are a lot of expenses. She said that this particular type of support could be a way to alleviate some of those pressures.
“It provides an opportunity for all children to have a good start to the school year. It evens that playing field when kids start school without their basic supplies and the things that will help them do well it sets them back potentially so this program eliminates that particular challenge for kids,” she said.
Tocher said she believes the increase in requests each year has a large part to do with the population increase in Cochrane, but also said it has to do with lack of affordable housing in town.
She said FCSS has also seen more demand for food hampers and emergency financial needs and she suspects that lack of affordable housing is part of the cause for that as well.
Tocher said the way the program works is that families that would like a backpack for their children call in and register with FCSS. FCSS then takes their school information, along with what grade they are in, and put together a backpack based on the list that each school provides.
She said that they prefer donations in the form of cash, because that allows them to buy school supplies that each of the schools request, but she said they also certainly welcome donations of backpacks and school supplies.
They are hoping to have donations in by the end of August but they will leave the program open until mid September, as some of the families don’t hear about the program until school has begun.
Tocher said that it is important to recognize how generous the community of Cochrane has been over the years.
“This is entirely dependent on community donations. We’ve never not been able to meet the need. We really appreciate so much the kind of support that the Cochrane community provides,” she said.
Those who wish to donate or sign up for the program can contact FCSS at 403-851-2250.
