Beverly Bootstraps Makes Donation Plea as Backpack Drive Nears Deadline

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly Bootstraps is asking the community to help boost donations for its back-to-school drive as the campaign heads into its final 10 days.

The nonprofit said the drive ends July 15 and has reached just 54 percent of its goal as of Monday.

Subscribe

The organization is aiming to build 975 backpacks filled with school supplies for K-12 students living in Beverly, Manchester, Essex, Hamilton and Wenham. The program is meant to help local students begin the school year with needed supplies.

Donors have two ways to contribute before the deadline. Supplies can be ordered online here, with all ordered items delivered directly to Beverly Bootstraps.

People can also use the group's supply list to shop locally and drop off donations by Friday at community collection sites listed on the Beverly Bootstraps website. The supply list and collection site information are posted here.

Beverly Bootstraps said the need remains high. In Beverly Public Schools alone, approximately 32 percent of K-12 students come from low-income households, representing nearly 1,400 children, according to the information shared by the organization.

Donations can help ease the financial strain that comes with preparing for a new school year. Support for the backpack program can give families more room in their budgets to focus on essentials such as rent and groceries, Beverly Bootstraps said.