Supporters of DePelchin Children’s Center have made it possible for more than 1,000 children to have new backpacks full of school supplies for the start of the academic year.

Through our annual School Supply Drive, DePelchin provides stuffed backpacks to children in foster care, counseling and other DePelchin programs in Houston, Austin, Lubbock, and San Antonio. Volunteers spend many hours sorting donations and filling backpacks to ensure that the children we serve have the materials they need to start school on the right foot and excel throughout the year.

The work behind our School Supply Drive begins well before backpacks are distributed. In the months leading up to the start of school, our generous supporters host donation drives, send supplies through our Amazon Wish List and make the financial contributions possible for us to distribute supplies to so many students. We are profoundly grateful to all who contributed to this year’s School Supply Drive as a donor or a volunteer. At a time when rising costs for everyday items weigh heavily on families, the generosity shown through our School Supply Drive makes a real difference.

As our children step into their classrooms with smiles on their faces and excitement in their hearts, they carry not just backpacks, but also the spirit of a community that believes in them and their potential. And because of our community of supporters, when children return home from school, they are going home to a loving, supportive environment. DePelchin is honored to work with children and their families in Texas and we look forward to supporting them in other ways during the year ahead!