Operation Backpack
United Way of Mahaska County partners with our local Salvation Army, SIEDA, the Oskaloosa Community Schools, the Oskaloosa Business Community, our local agencies, and groups like yours to help coordinate Operation Backpack. This initiative is a new collaboration of many groups and individuals, all uniting in one effort to help students be ready to start school in the Fall.
Here’s how the program works. For students to receive free backpacks and school supplies, they must qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program with the Oskaloosa Community Schools. Once the school administration verifies these students, the community will unite to organize a personal backpack for each student. Operation Backpack will use the classroom supply lists provided by the school to ensure each student receives their required school supplies.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! We are looking for groups and individuals to donate school supplies and/or money to purchase school supplies. Also needed are collection sites for the public to donation the school supplies. And volunteers are needed to help sort the supplies and prepare the backpacks.
If you can help our children be ready to start learning on their first day back to school, please call Katie Schippers at 673-6043.
