August Aragon Cares 2021: Virtual Backpack Drive

by Katie Bartenslager

Have you noticed an increase in traffic near you? Well, that probably has something to do with schools returning to in-person learning! This month Aragon wants to make sure that students return with the supplies they need to make them feel ready for the new school year. That is why we have participated in a virtual backpack drive hosted by NBC Bay Area and Telemundo 48 along with Family Giving Tree and Comcast.

Why the Virtual Backpack Drive

Besides Christmas or a birthday, going back to school has to be one of the most highly anticipated dates of the year for many children. Some excited, some anxious, and some probably wish summer vacation was year-round. But getting that fresh new backpack with a new design to show off your personality is always a highlight. At Aragon, we wanted to make sure that those struggling financially, especially with the impact of COVID-19, felt ready to take on this new school year with the necessary supplies. With 1 in 3 families having a child or children who don’t have necessary school supplies, and children going back to in-person learning for the first time in a while, we knew this was the perfect activity for our August Aragon Cares activity.

How the Virtual Backpack Drive Worked

There were a couple of different options for participating in the backpack drive. You could either make a flat donation or you could purchase backpacks that would be filled with necessary supplies.

The contents of a backpack include: 

• 1 pack of 20 pencils
• 1 soft pencil pouch
• 1 pack of 24 crayons
• 1 pack of washable markers
• 1 eraser
• 1 large glue stick
• 1 pack of construction paper
• 1 two-pocket folder
• 1 pack of addition/subtraction flashcards
• 1 small dry erase whiteboard
• 1 set of headphones

We decided to choose pre-packed backpacks for students. Family Giving Tree provided various options of backpacks with various themes geared towards specific grade levels. Each Aragon employee looked through the various backpacks and chose one to donate on their behalf. We purchased a total of 13 backpacks with themes that included: 

• Sharks
• The Avengers 
• Galaxy Blue 
• Heather Army Camo
• Disney’s Frozen 
• More!

Good luck to all the students and educators taking on this 2021-2022 school year! We hope it is a fun and knowledgeable year!