Catholic organizations seeking school supplies

Friday, Aug. 01, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — As the social service arm of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, Catholic Community Services of Utah (CCS) is collecting backpacks and school supplies for its annual Backpack Bonanza school drive, which distributes the items to students in need. Donations are being collected at each parish in the diocese as well as at any CCS location. 

The need for backpacks is huge this year, said Danielle Stamos, CCS public relations and marketing coordinator. 

“Without the community coming together to collect backpacks, these children would go without; the children we serve are the most vulnerable in the community and they look to CCS to fill that gap,” she said. “Students have been pre-registering for backpacks since July 1 at each venue, but space is still available.”

In Salt Lake City the goal is to distribute 1,500 backpacks; last year 1,000 backpacks were distributed to low-income homeless children through the St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall.

“Statistics show that 1 in 5 children in Utah live below the poverty level,” said Stamos. “Another portion of the backpacks will be distributed among refugee children from the Refugee Resettlement Program; these children have fled from war-torn areas all over the world. Children in the Refugee Foster Care Program will also receive backpacks. There are eight kids from the crisis at the border who have been in Utah for one year.”

Backpack distribution will take place at the CCS Northern Utah Food Bank in Ogden on Aug. 9 and Aug. 11 and in Salt Lake City at the CCS Saint Vincent de Paul Dining Hall on Aug. 8. The backpacks and school supplies will stay in the community where they were collected.

“During the distribution, about 150 kids come every hour to pick out their own backpacks that are filled with supplies,” said Marcie Valdez, director of CCS Northern Utah. “Our sponsors and volunteers also provide us with vouchers to pass out to the kids so they can get clothing, candy, or other items we collect.  We also receive cash donations that allow us to purchase items to distribute.”

CCS Northern Utah serves kids in Davis and Weber County, and its goal this year is to collect 2,500 backpacks. “In Ogden, 30 percent of children live below the poverty rate; 60 percent of the people we assist are families,” said Valdez. “In the Weber and Ogden school districts, 16,000 children are on free and reduced lunch programs.” 

In southern Utah, The Saint Paul Catholic Center Women’s Council and Saint Paul’s Treasures Thrift Shoppe are working with Washington County School District on Project A.S.A.P. (All Students Assistance Program) to provide backpacks and school supplies for students in Hurricane and Laverkin. Items in these areas will help students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The Thrift Shoppe will also provide vouchers to those families who need assistance with school clothing through referrals from the school district. 

For information on Project A.S.A.P., contact Carol Porter at 435-703-9510. Information for Catholic Community Services can be found at www.ccsutah.org.