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Houston area YMCA’s and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston are launching the third annual “Operation Backpack” — to provide school supplies for children who otherwise would have to go back to school unprepared. Houston Public Radio’s Jim Bell has more.
Operation Backpack has become an annual project of the YMCA. Spiritual Development Director Jamie Clark says it’s growing because the need for it is growing.
“This is our third year. When we began year number one, we impacted a little over nine thousand kids lives with school supplies that first year. Last year we impacted 16 thousand, and this year we’re hoping to impact 25 thousand kids lives with school supplies.”
Clark says it’s not an overstatement to say that going back to school with enough of the right school supplies means a lot to a child whose parents can’t afford to buy them. Representing the Archdiocese, Father Sean Horrigan of Christ the Redeemer Church says he couldn’t agree more.
“You never know what life you might touch through pens and paper, map colors, you may be inspiring the next great artist in our community, so if we can do our part to help that I think we all have a responsibility to see that our youth have every advantage they need to succeed in this world.”
Between now and August 19th, Houston area YMCAs more than 50 Catholic parishes and participating businesses will serve as drop-off sites for donated backpacks and school supplies, which will be distributed to 31 Houston area school districts. Jim Bell, Houston Public Radio News.