With fall just around the corner, the rush to gather back-to-school supplies is well underway. From binders, pens and pencils to notebooks with fresh paper, families are preparing their children with the tools they need to succeed. And, of course, a new backpack to carry those essentials into the school year ahead.
This year, however, many low-income families are looking at school supply prices that are simply out of reach. Due to inflation and the rising cost of living, back-to-school expenses will add more financial strain to family budgets already stretched thin.
These families face tough choices – whether to pay the rent, buy food, clothes or school supplies. The reality is that children who start the school year without supplies are at a disadvantage before the first bell even rings, which sets the tone for the rest of the year.
Fortunately, there’s a way to help set every child up for success, and it starts with you.
The Strain of Rising Costs on Low-Income Families
You can provide backpacks filled with essential school supplies to children in need – and help deliver lifesaving care. These backpacks, along with other critical support, carry hope for a fresh beginning, giving children a chance to start the year with joy and confidence.
The average family will spend nearly $586 per student on school items. Of the families we serve, one in three struggles to afford basic school supplies, and 54% anticipate even higher expenses. For some, the cost is so overwhelming that 30% of parents expect to incur debt just to get their children what they need.
“Our goal is to assist families with a sprinkling of joy,” said the Director of Community Engagement for Housing Support Services at Second Farms, an affordable housing development in The Bronx. “We don’t want to leave any child behind. We want to make sure that every child has opportunity and has not been left out.”
How Your Support Can Make a Lifelong Impact on Children’s Education
A backpack is more than just a way to carry school supplies – it can be a lifeline. Your kindness carries our community out of hardship and toward progress, just like the backpacks that your gift will provide today. Your generosity brings hope to children and families in need.
Together, we can help equip children for success.
We count on your support to make services like this possible. You can provide help and create hope. Make a generous, tax-deductible gift today.
