School aged children in San Joaquin County are about to benefit from a backpack giveaway event. Food 4 Less, Rancho San Miguel Markets, Health Plan of San Joaquin, Rod Johnson Heating & Air and Igredion, will be donating backpacks full of school supplies and healthy snacks to children at the 4th Annual Christmas in July Nutrition and Resource Fair & Mayor Tubbs Backpack Giveaway. Last year, over 700 backpacks were donated.
The Emergency Food Bank has invited local families to pre-register for a backpack and to come to the food bank between 10am and 1pm on Saturday, July 29 to participate in the Resource Fair. Mayor Tubbs will be on hand at approximately 11:30am to assist in giving away backpacks. Backpacks are filled with pencils, paper, a pencil box, folders, glue and more. All leftover backpacks will be distributed to those who did not register on a first come first served basis.
In 2014, the National Retail Federation predicted the average person with children in grades K-12 would spend $101.18 on school supplies such as notebooks, pencils and backpacks. On top of that, nearly 16 million children in the U.S. live in poverty. The Emergency Food Bank, and sponsors for Christmas in July (Food 4 Less/Rancho San Miguel Markets, Rod Johnson Heating & Air, Health Plan of San Joaquin and Ingredion) are doing its part to ensure that as many children as possible are set up for educational success.
To pre-register information, call Emergency Food Bank prior to the event at (209) 481-2351.