Backpacks and Breakfast helps families prepare for back-to-school

COVINGTON, Ky. (WXIX) - As the school year begins for many students in Northern Kentucky, two local organizations hosted the 22nd-annual Backpacks and Breakfast event on Sunday.

Northern Kentucky Harvest and the organization Be Concerned hosted an event with thousands of struggling families.

However, demand for supplies was high this year.

“We had a thousand families representing about fifteen-sixteen hundred kids who signed up in our registration for the project and we only had eleven-hundred plus backpacks to give out,” President of Northern Kentucky Harvest Paul Gottbrath said.

For families that registered for supplies, but weren’t placed on the schedule and are still in need of supplies, you can call Gottbrath at (859) 750-2813.

The drive-thru event had over 50 volunteers to help deliver backpacks to the families.

“Hardcore volunteers showing up, stuffing the backpacks, moving the backpacks, labeling, organizing and then distributing them as people come up for the ‘pick up model’ this year,” volunteer Dan Hassert explained.

Roughly 14,000 backpacks have been distributed to Northern Kentucky families since 2001.

“It means a lot to me, as a parent, to see the other parents who know that they have this task completed and then, of course, seeing the joy in the kids eyes when they finally get going back to school because they their supplies,” Hassert said. “[The parents] see [their kids] sorting through [the school supplies], looking at them - it’s rewarding.”

There was a backpack with supplies for grades kindergarten through twelfth grade.

While families were not served breakfast this year, kids did receive free kids menu coupons from Frisches.

To give monetary donations to Be Concerned organization, click here.

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