Annual Backpack Drive
Backpacks Collected
Help us equip 250 Begley Public School students for day one!
At Parkwood, we believe our faith isn't meant to stay inside our walls; it's meant to overflow into our neighbourhood. For the month of August, we’re putting our faith into action for the students and families of Begley Public School. By packing a backpack, you are sending a child to school with confidence, care, and the love of Jesus on day one.
Sharing the love of Jesus, one backpack at a time.
About
The Need
There’s a great need at Begley.
Here are a few key statistics that highlight the reality at Begley Public School and our ongoing partnership with them.
Lower income households
71% of Begley households face financial challenges. We’re removing supply costs so kids can focus on learning.
Language barriers
With 53% of students learning English, many families are adapting to new language and cultural systems.
Long standing history
Our church has supported Begley for over a decade through our daily breakfast program.
Here’s how your backpack gets to the students.
How It Works
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You pack backpacks
Pick up supplies, pack a backpack, and drop it off at the church during August. Your simple gift turns into tangible love for a local student.
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We organize & deliver to Begley
Our team sorts and checks every bag so each student gets the right supplies for their grade, then delivers them directly to Begley.
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Kids are ready for day one
Students receive their filled backpacks on day one, ready to learn and feeling deeply loved and cared for by their community.
Pack your backpack today.
Get Started
Step 1
Select your grade level
Choose one of the following grade levels to download and view your supply checklist.
Primary
JK – Grade 3
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Bags & Daily Gear
1 Backpack
1 Lunch bag
1 Water bottle
1 Sandwich container
2 Snack containers
Classroom & Learning Supplies
1 Pencil case / Supply box
24 No. 2 pencils
1 box Coloured pencils
2 Highlighters
2 Erasers
6 Small glue sticks
1 Pencil sharpener
1 Ruler (12")
1 Pair of kids 5" blunt scissors
2 boxes Facial tissue (Kleenex)
2 boxes Crayons (24 pack)
1 pkg Washable markers
4 Exercise notebooks
2 boxes Reclosable large storage bags (eg. Ziploc)
Junior
Grades 4 – 6
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Bags & Daily Gear
1 Backpack
1 Lunch bag
1 Water bottle
1 Sandwich container
Classroom & Learning Supplies
1 Pencil case
24 No. 2 pencils
6 Black or blue pens
3 Red pens
1 box Coloured pencils
3 Coloured highlighters
2 Erasers
6 Small glue sticks
1 Pencil sharpener
1 Ruler (12")
1 Pair of scissors
1 Solar calculator
2 Spiral notebooks
2 boxes Facial tissue (eg. Kleenex)
Intermediate
Grades 7 – 8
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Bags & Daily Gear
1 Backpack (Fits 1" binders)
1 Lunch bag
1 Water bottle
1 Sandwich container
Classroom & Learning Supplies
1 Pencil case
24 No. 2 pencils
12 Black or blue pens
6 Red pens
1 box Coloured pencils
3 Coloured highlighters
5 Erasers
1 Large glue stick
1 Pencil sharpener
1 Ruler (12")
1 Pair of scissors
1 Solar calculator
1 box Facial tissue (eg. Kleenex)
2 Binders (1")
1 pkg Subject dividers
1 Geometry set
Step 2
Buy & fill a backpack
Purchase a backpack and fill it with the requested school supplies for your chosen grade level.
Step 3
Drop it off at church
Bring your bag to church, follow the quick steps at our station to tag it, and place it in the blue drop-off boxes.
Donate a
backpack today.
If you’d love to participate but don’t have time to pack a backpack, you can support the mission financially, and we’ll handle the purchasing on your behalf. A donation of $50* will prepare one backpack for a student, or you can enter a custom amount and give whatever you’d like.
*Approximate cost with average prices.
Donate
Prefer to give in person?
You can give on Sundays or throughout the week at the church using a tithing envelope. Just mark it as “Backpacks for Begley,” and we’ll ensure the funds get to where they need to be.
FAQs
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All filled backpacks need to be dropped off in the lobby blue boxes at Parkwood during August. Our team collects them throughout the month so we can deliver them to Begley Public School before the first day of school.
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Any new, durable backpack suitable for elementary or middle school students works great. We just ask that the bag is new and large enough to fit standard school folders, notebooks, and supplies.
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Please stick strictly to the items on the supply list. To ensure equity across classrooms, extra personal items, clothing, or perishable food items should not be placed inside the backpacks.
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Head to our drop-off station in the lobby, grab the colored wristband matching your backpack's grade level, attach it to the top handle, and place the bag in the blue collection bins. Tagging the bag ensures it reaches the right students!
