We were inspired several years ago to create Operation Backpack because of the reality that many children do not have the supplies or resources needed for the upcoming school year. It is an annual undertaking for CHFK, but this year’s Operation Back Pack exceeded all expectations with a goal of 1,005 backpacks, almost double of last year.
With the help of 20 volunteers, 60 volunteer hours completed, 148 delivery miles driven, 1,005 backpacks filled, and 1,005 happy kids. In conjunction with New Jersey Women in Banking, The JM Group of Princeton and Noto Insurance Agency this was the Foundation’s largest backpack donation to date. With the support of these sponsors and other countless donors and volunteers, each backpack contained not only basic supplies, but also rulers, calculators, binders, pencil cases, and a host of items in order to make each child feel special in addition to feeling prepared.
At the close of this summer’s Operation Backpack, the 1,005 backpacks were shared with ten different agencies for distribution to individual children: Children’s Home Society, Homefront, WomanSpace, One Simple Wish, Mill Hill Child Development Center, Trenton Soup Kitchen, Princeton Human Services, Pennrose Social Services, Princeton YMCA Child Resources, and Resource Family Advisory Board—Child and Family Services.
