How Kids Above All in Des Plaines is easing back-to-school stress for families in need

For many parents, the new school year brings the stress of buying expensive supplies for their children.

A nonprofit organization called Kids Above All is working to ease those worries by collecting backpacks and supplies for 1,400 school-aged kids in Lake, Kane, DuPage and northern Cook counties whose families are affected by poverty and violence.

"These are kids that we already provide home visiting services to," said Dan Kotowski, president and CEO of Kids Above All and a former state senator. "We range from kids who are just starting kindergarten to elementary school to kids in high school."

On Thursday, families of employees from Precision Machining Group of Schaumburg organized hundreds of backpacks.

Kids Above All, which has served northern Illinois communities for more than 125 years, filled a small warehouse at its Better Life Distribution Center in Des Plaines with donations from corporations as well as individuals. For details on donating or volunteering, visit kidsaboveall.org.