St. Patrick’s Parish Student Backpack Program is once again answering the call to support low-income students with essential school supplies, sparking confidence in the students as they step into the classroom this fall. 

Since 2004, the charity program run by the Markham, Ont., parish’s social justice ministry has assisted 8,100 children, providing various school supplies and personal essential items to students in need from Kindergarten through Grade 9. 

Coordinated by Liz Maple, a retired teacher, the program was created due to the stark reality of the high costs for some families of back-to-school season, often making supplies unattainable. 

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“It all stemmed when we first started in 2004, and I remember there was something in our bulletin after Christmas about how we assisted 96 children. I thought that aside from Christmas, back-to-school is the most expensive time of the year, and nothing could be worse than, number one, not providing for your kids at Christmas, but also not being able to send them back to school like some of the other families can,” Maple said. 

In its first year, upwards of 220 fully stocked backpacks were donated, yet Maple recalls her thoughts that the following year would either see the program increase drastically or fade away entirely. It ended up being the former, with the program collecting over 600 backpacks at the peak of its operations in the following years. The program has only missed one year since 2004, with the pandemic limiting delivery options in 2020. 

In practice, donors are able to sign up from an online supply list, selecting the grade and gender of the student they wish to support. Items vary per list, with staples such as the backpack, pencil cases, erasers, rulers, markers, notebooks and calculators often requested. Items such as toothbrushes, socks, shampoo, water bottles and deodorant are also frequently donated. 

Children who receive each backpack are previously vetted through the parish, with clients being known through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Backpacks are also sent to St. Martin de Porres Parish in Scarborough, as well as to families supported by Native Child and Family Services of Toronto.

Maple says 120 volunteers have signed up to donate under the program so far, with the parish expecting to collect between 130 and 140 backpacks this year. Cost-wise, each backpack care package can range from $75 for Kindergarten and up to $200 for the Grades 7 to 9.

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More than merely providing items for the classroom, Maple noted the relief of having back-to-school supplies taken care of often enables families to provide further necessities for their children. 

“We had one mother say that this allowed her to buy bus tickets, another that she was now able to buy her son new shoes. If there’s a family with four kids and the father's unemployed, now he’s able to feed his kids,” she said. “It is a program that’s very impactful on a real day-to-day basis for people, and it relieves a lot of stress and anxiety that many feel when providing for their kids.” 

The relief often extends to the students themselves, with particular instance that to sticks with Maple. 

“ There was a mom who had a teenage son who was refusing to go to school, and then he got the donated backpack, and he said he would at least go for the first day,” she recalled.

“I'd love to know what happened after the first day, but at least it was enough for him to feel accepted into going to school that day. It's so much more than rulers and pencils; it’s the sense of support they get from it as well.” 

Maple also spoke to the excitement for many children as they receive brand new supplies, something that enhances their pride as well as readiness for school. 

With summer winding down, the St. Patrick’s Parish community is thrilled to once again offer confidence and hope to students. Moreover, the social justice ministry is especially thankful for its volunteers who continue to make the long-running back-to-school initiative possible. 

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“ I wasn't sure how it would go this year at first because everybody's counting pennies nowadays, but people are pulling through just as much as they did last year, and we may even exceed what we collected in 2024 — it just astounds me,” Maple said. 

For more, see stpatrick.on.ca.