The smell of fresh crayons and school supplies wafted in the air as volunteers stuffed backpacks in the Greater Richmond Convention Center, giving off strong back-to-school energy.
Virginia Commonwealth University alumnus Timmy Nguyen organized the first Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive in 2017 to provide free supplies to Richmond Public Schools students. In seven years, more than 112,000 students across the Richmond area have been helped through the drive, and it’s become the largest school supply drive in the country.
This year, organizers say 35,000 backpacks will go to students at 88 Title I schools across Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield.
Richmond City Council member Cynthia Newbille has been volunteering since the drive began. She told VPM News that the cost of preparing children for the school year can be a challenge for families, especially with Richmond’s new clear backpack protocols in place for the upcoming year.
“Children are able to return to school with the kind of supplies they’ll need on those first few days,” Newbille said. “This provides a real resource for our families.”
The materials were made available through donations of money and supplies from community members and local businesses. Will Hupp, director of hub operations for Richmond-based freight transporter Estes Express Lines, says the company will deliver the backpacks over the next week.
“We're uniquely positioned to be able to provide the service that the backpack drive needs in order to get all the backpacks in the kids’ hands before the first day of school,” Hupp said.
Those interested in supporting the Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive can donate through VCU’s website.
