Donations sought for eighth annual ECC Project Backpack
Elgin Community College and its partners are preparing for Project Backpack, a community-based initiative to benefit students in need. Donations of school supplies will be accepted prior to Monday, July 31, at several locations. The event will take place Saturday, Aug. 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Building J Spartan Events Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.
Supplies are received through individual, retailer, church, and community organization donations. Students who provide proof of residency or enrollment in Community Unit District 300, Elgin Area School District U-46, or at ECC for fall 2016 are eligible to receive supplies. Backpacks are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, limit one backpack per student.
A range of community agencies and services also will be available at the event to help individuals in need.
More than 16,000 students have been served since 2010. More than 2,000 backpacks were distributed to families during last year's event.
Donations of the following supplies are needed:
• Two pocket folders, solid color only;
• One subject spiral notebooks, wide rule, solid color only;
• Packs of loose leaf/filler paper, 150/200 count, wide rule;
• Packages of yellow wood, standard No. 2 pencils, 10 count;
• Black pens;
• Scissors, gender-neutral color;
• Glue sticks, 0.21 oz.;
• Rulers, wood or gender-neutral color;
• Pack of 24 count crayons, Crayola preferred;
• Gender-neutral backpacks;
Donations will be collected at the following locations: Elgin State Bank at 1001 S. Randall Road, 445 Summit St. or 590 N. McLean Blvd.; Elgin Area Unit District U-46 Educational Services Center, second-floor reception area, 355 E. Chicago St., Elgin; Elgin Chamber of Commerce, 31 S. Grove Ave., Elgin; Elgin Community College Building B Student Life Office, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin; St. Charles Episcopal Church, 994 N. Fifth Ave, St. Charles; and Illinois Pain Treatment Institute, 431 Summit St., Suite 101, Elgin.
Project Backpack is sponsored by Elgin Community College, Elgin Community College Faculty Association, ECCP3, Community Crisis Center, Kane County Regional Office of Education, Kane County Teachers Credit Union, School District U-46, and United Way of Elgin.
For more information, contact the ECC Student Life Office at (847) 214-7370 or visit www.project-backpack.org. For information in Spanish, call (847) 888-5000, ext. 4211.