Every child deserves the basic tools to learn


As you can imagine, children without a permanent home face many hurdles. One of their biggest challenges is getting the help they need to do well in school.

When school resumes in late August, many boys and girls in Pennsylvania won’t have a backpack, a notebook, markers or other basic supplies required for their grade. And that makes going back to school even more difficult for a child who is already struggling to fit in!

To give the youngsters a more solid start, Volunteers of America is hosting Operation Backpack. The campaign provides filled backpacks to children who are most in need. Many are homeless, living in foster care or come from families that are barely hanging on in these tough economic times.

Margaret, a single mom and her 10-year-old daughter Tina, recently moved into a low-income apartment after fleeing an abusive relationship. Although she works two part-time jobs, Margaret struggles to make ends meet. Still, she is saving up to buy her daughter some new school clothes.

“It would mean so much to her to have a new backpack filled with fresh supplies,” says Margaret. “I would be so grateful for the help, too!”

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