Backpack Drive

We are honored to once again partner with our friends at the Republic Bank Foundation YMCA to help prepare students in need for the 2025-26 school year.

Our goal is to collect 75 backpacks and fill them with the supplies they’ll need to succeed in their studies. Please drop off these backpacks and supplies by July 27th. 

HOW TO HELP
Purchase a backpack and fill them with supplies from the lists below, and bring them to Sojourn East. Drop your supplies at the Information Table, and we’ll take it from there.

Please note that we are looking for backpacks completely filled with the requested supplies. This is a great project for Community Groups, family projects or other groups of Sojourners who want to help area students start the school year with everything they need.

Elementary School (K-5)

• 1 backpack—no wheels
• 3 glue sticks
• 24 pencils
• 1 box 24 crayons
• 1 box 8 washable markers
• 7 notebooks (type [e.g., composition, spiral, steno])*
• 1 pencil box or pencil pouch 
• 5 two‐pocket folders
• 1 pair of scissors
• 2 ink pens 
• 1 pack loose-leaf paper, wide‐ruled

Middle and High School (6-12)

• 1 backpack
• 1 pack loose‐leaf paper
• 1 box colored pencils or markers*
• 7 notebooks (type [e.g., composition, spiral, steno])*
•  7 two‐pocket folders*
• 24 pens/pencils*