Blooming Backpacks - Supporting the United Way & Local Children

For many students, the most memorable part of the new school year is going back-to-school shopping. However, for many families, access to new school supplies can be challenging. This August, Amherst Innovative Living partnered with United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Regions (UWFH) to help support local students and their families through its annual Women’s Way Blooming Backpacks Collection Event.

We invited residents across our communities to participate in the initiative by donating brand-new backpacks and school supplies for children in need.  AIL donated 24 individual backpacks and additional supplies to use in other backpacks donated by community members and organizations.

Why It Mattered

The United Way of the Franklin and Hampshire Region is an independent local nonprofit organization serving Hampshire and Franklin Counties. Guided by its core values of equity, human dignity, collaboration, accountability, and curiosity, UWFH’s mission is to work in partnership with our community to identify and address our region's most pressing issues. Their vision is that all individuals and families have equitable access to the tools and resources to support their basic needs and ensure future successes. 

By gathering and providing backpacks filled with school supplies, the Women’s Way Blooming Backpacks initiative helps take an expense off families’ plates, and guarantees that students can begin the school year confidently and equipped with important learning tools. Our residents and AIL team helped further UWFH’s mission by providing students with the supplies students need to start the school year with confidence. Something as simple as a new backpack can make a difference in a child’s life as they navigate a new school year. 

We are incredibly grateful to everyone in our community who donated and helped make this drive possible. Thanks to your support, we are able to build a stronger, more inclusive community, one backpack at a time!