Salvation Army fights inflation by giving 2,000 stuffed backpacks to Saskatoon students – Saskatoon | 24CA News

The Salvation Army is operating its annual backpack distribution program to assist Saskatoon households struggle inflation this back-to-school season.

Tables stacked with cardboard packing containers full of college provides and backpacks in each color piled excessive contained in the Bateman Crescent Salvation Army on Monday.

“Each year we end up getting funders, donors that are interested in supporting the backpack program so all of the supplies were purchased through donations that we received here at the Salvation Army,” stated Derek Kerr with the group.

Two thousand backpacks will probably be given to Saskatoon college students this yr.

“Last year in 2022 we did 1,500 so we had some donors that stepped up to the plate and wanted to raise their donations this year so that we could increase the numbers of backpacks that we give out,” Kerr stated. “Saskatoon is a very generous community.”

Kerr stated the registration spots for the backpacks have been crammed in two days and the demand was practically double the quantity of provide the group obtained.

“We try to make the ones for the secondary school students more relevant to them, so a little bit more detailed about what we put into the bags because we know it’s different grade levels and the needs and demands are different at that level of education,” Kerr stated.

The backpacks embody pencils, notebooks, sticky notes, pencil instances and all the different issues a pupil may want for again to highschool.

Volunteers meandered between the tables, grabbing provides and thoroughly assembling every backpack to suit the assigned grade.

Kerr famous that amidst inflation, the Salvation Army has had extra guests via its door than ever.

“Especially at the time of back-to-school, we have a number of kids ourselves and we know how expensive it is with the rising costs of goods and services with inflation we have seen the increase in those who are needing assistance,” Kerr stated.

Kerr’s objective is to have the two,000 luggage packed and prepared for mum or dad pickup later this week.

“It’s kind of organized chaos and they will go home with their backpacks later in the week,” Kerr stated.

&copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.