Local organizations are calling on Londoners to donate school supplies to students in need

It’s that time of year again, when students head back to class and parents stock up on back-to-school supplies. But for many households, the rising cost of living has made the process more difficult.

The Best First Day backpack drive is back on this year, aimed at helping young learners by providing them with a backpack filled with school supplies to ensure every student has what they need on their first day.

The Thames Valley Education Foundation has partnered with United Way Elgin Middlesex and The Salvation Army London Community and Family Services to launch the annual drive, with a goal of filling up to 3,500 backpacks by September 1

“Best First Day is all about getting everyone what they need. All the school supplies they need to succeed, regardless of their grade, their age, or anything else,” said Helen Robertson, volunteer coordinator and social media manager for the Thames Valley Education Foundation.

“We’ve packed over 2,000 backpacks so we are well towards our goal at this point. We are just finding ourselves running low on lunch bags,” Robertson explained on Wednesday. “But as long as we get the lunch bags we need we are more than prepared to have all of the bags ready to go out.”

For over 20 years, the initiative has provided backpacks and school supplies to thousands of students in need. But the number of requests for basic necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter have “more than doubled,” said Brittany Webb, executive director and community and corporate fund development officer for the foundation.

Donating helps take the stress off back-to-school shopping, Webb explained, as people are continuing to struggle with inflation and the rising cost of living.

“School supplies are exorbitant when it comes to making those life decisions about where to spend your money, especially when it’s low incomes,” said Rebecca Thiessen, Integrated Mission Manager for the Salvation Army London. “And so we partner to bring these supplies to the different schools in Thames Valley, to the schools in the catholic school boards and in indigenous communities.”

Students and families interested in picking up a backpack are asked to contact their school principal.

The foundation will be accepting donations at the TVDSB school board at 1250 Dundas St., and at libraries in Oxford, Elgin and Middlesex counties.