In 2006, the Backpack Drive began as a partnership between East End House and CambridgeSide with a simple goal: to help ensure that local children have the supplies they need to begin the school year ready to learn. Since then, thousands of backpacks and school supplies have reached children and families through the generosity of businesses, donors, volunteers, schools, and community partners.
Thanks to the generosity of our community, more than 750 backpacks filled with school supplies were distributed to children and families across Greater Cambridge this year—the largest distribution in the history of East End House’s Backpack Drive.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who has helped sustain this effort over the past 20 years—and especially to the many people and organizations who stepped up this year.
Why it Matters
A backpack is about more than school supplies. For families facing rising costs and other economic pressures, back-to-school expenses can be a real challenge. Providing a child with the supplies they need can help ease that burden while helping them begin the school year feeling prepared, confident, and ready to learn.
Additional backpacks were distributed directly to children and families through East End House programs and throughout the broader community.
Thank You to Our Community
So many people and organizations came together to make this year’s Backpack Drive possible. We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped.
Thank You to Our Donors & Volunteers
Afzal Ahmed
Ajun Chaparala
Alison Macdonald
Alix C. Eastman
Amy DiRio
Amy Medeiros
Ann Li
Antonette Nonni
Bahar Edissi
Belicia and Belae Wilkinson
Brian McCarthy
Caroline Collopy
Cathy Li
Clare Malone
Clinton R. Mann
Cynthia Cleveland
Daniel Gruskin
Daniel Koehler
Daniel Paredes
Dave Barnett
Donna Barrasso
East End House Senior Activities & Outreach Program
Elaine Sarchioni
Jillian McNulty
Fred Fantini
Gozde
Holly Stead
Inga Jarmoskaite
Jane Sparrow
Jermiah O’Neill
Jessica Jillian Mucci
Kaely Gallagher
Kaitlin Kramer
Karen and Bob Cotten
Kathy Pilarski
Kayli Louise Cunha
Lyn Kardatzke
Madeline Egan
Mark Casady
Matthew Fuller
Puneet Thariani
Rachel Strauss
Rana Khan
Sara Potter
Sarah Sarah
Sawyer Todd Hoehn
Wendy Mimran