Backpack To School
Small actions can have big impact. The Backpack to School program is an example. Backpacks equipped with school supplies not only bring joy to children, they also give relief to financially stressed households coping with inflationary increases in food, rent, and utilities. This nearly two-decades-old program is well-known and much-loved in our community. Volunteers and local organizations, businesses, civic groups, and churches come together to donate supplies and financial gifts. They also contribute their time to assemble and distribute the backpacks to children in need.
Through our backpack outreach, families learn about HPC services and are discretely connected to Case Managers. The program is operated with care and mutual respect, providing a win-win for everyone.
In the last three years, we’ve seen a steady rise in the number of backpack requests—a measure of the evolving economic and social stresses brought about by Cape Cod’s cost of living. HPC helps to mitigate the financial gap for struggling families. The backpack program offers a visible example of how HPC assistance can stretch the household budget.
The 2022 Backpack To School effort was made possible through the annual contributions and volunteer efforts of Nauset Rotary Club, Chatham Coast Guard, USB Financial Services, and the St. Peter’s Gay Ministry. HPC is also grateful for the generosity of Diane & David Weissman, Susan Carlson, and Maryann Campagna, who chaired the program.