Packing up smiles

Packsac Smiles volunteers get organised for delivery night at the Sibbitt Centre Tuesday night.

Starting the school year can be intimidating for any child, but for children of low-income families facing the reality that they can’t afford new clothes or school supplies is not alos devastating, but can mar their scholastic success.

Thankfully the Packsac Smiles organisation can help, the group which has been in the community for almost four years now, works to help area children from grades K-8 overcome these obstacles and foster self-esteem in order to get the year off on the right foot.

Darlene Tripp founding member says that Packsac Smiles volunteers fundraise throughout the year in order to purchase essential back-to-school items like clothing, shoes, books and healthy snacks, then put the products in new backpacks and deliver them to area children in need.

Tripp says the response has been overwhelming and the need for packs doubled since last year.

“We had 45 packs last year and we have 86 this year,” explains Tripp.

“We’ve gone from 13 to 86 children in just 3 short years.”

The Packsac group works in collaboration with area school boards, principals and teachers when it comes to selecting which children receive the supplies.

“They know the children who will benefit the most based on the criteria in a package delivered during the school year.”

“They see the children every day during the school year and know who is in need,” says Tripp.

“We have the children do is fill out a child information form with their favourite colour, favourite character, so that the backpacks can be customised to something that they would really appreciate getting and be excited about.”

Tripp is quick to point out that privacy is key in order to ensure the children don’t stand out, so during the whole process only three members of their executive have access to names.

“A child pin number system is used with the packs so that the children are not identified.”

“Our volunteers sign a confidentiality form and have police record background checks done as well,” she says.

Tripp says with the increase in children required more work and more volunteers, but the group has no complaints.

“Knowing that there are children in need makes it for us,” she states.

“We are really excited about how well the program has been received by our financial supporters and our volunteers.”

This year the group was also able to market the program with posters, info cards and banners thanks to the $5,800 Trillium Grant they received last year.