Anticipation for a new school year can mean excitement, but it can also mean anxiety for the families we serve, many of whom must make ends meet on a low income. Thanks to our annual Backpack Drive, Pacific Clinics was able to provide more than 800 backpacks and 400 hygiene kits to children and teens in Santa Clara County.
Even within the wealthy, economically strong Silicon Valley, many families are living paycheck to paycheck, without a way to afford basic school supplies. When school supplies aren’t available, classwork and homework often go undone, which increases a student’s likelihood of falling behind and can have a negative effect on a student’s self-esteem and confidence in the classroom.
Our Bay Area-based drive provides a backpack with age-appropriate school supplies and a hygiene kit, which includes a mask, toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, lip balm, sunscreen, tissue, hand sanitizer and deodorant. Once the backpacks are assembled, our clinical teams deliver the backpacks directly to families in need across 17 of our programs, including Foster Care & Adoptions, Addiction Prevention Services, School-Linked Services and Crisis.
“Yes! Now I have something to carry my books around in.” -Pacific Clinics youth
“Thanks for providing these bags. I love that they come in all sorts of colors! It means a lot to have these for my kids when I can’t afford them.” -Pacific Clinics parent
“I’m so glad my child could get school supplies and not feel left out as a lot of the other kids will have new items and backpacks.” -Pacific Clinics parent
A very heartfelt thanks to our incredible donors and volunteers, who have helped to purchase, organize and assemble backpacks in the gym at our Los Gatos campus:
- The Swenson Foundation
- Allison and Matt Railo
- Course Hero
- Carolyn’s Kids
- Rotary Club of Los Gatos
- Almaden Super Lions Club
- Hillbrook School
- History Club of Los Gatos
- Rotary Club of Cupertino
- And dozens of individuals and families from across the Bay Area
Though the new school year is now upon us, Pacific Clinics accepts donations of school supplies year-round. For more information on how you or your company or organization can help, please contact Darren DeMonsi at (408) 417-0784 or ddemonsi@pacificclinics.org.
