This group of FFA members helped to inventory all of the school supplies for the United Way Backpack Project. Pictured l to r – Adam Johnson, Brooke Arneson, Morgan Hoffmann, Presley Bauer, Maddison Helget, Leisha Martinez, and Alex Joramo.
Each year, approximately 400 backpacks are filled with grade and school district appropriate school supplies and given to qualifying children throughout Brown County through the United Way Backpack Project.
Children in grades K-8 in Brown County who qualify for the free lunch program can participate in this program. United Way has teamed up with local school districts, the Salvation Army, BIC Graphic, Bank Midwest and many area businesses to make this opportunity available to families in the Brown County area.
Supplies that have been donated need to be sorted and inventoried to figure out which supplies still need to be purchased. The Sleepy Eye FFA had 11 volunteers come together to help sort the supplies at the New Ulm Event Center on Thursday, July 29. Our volunteers included: FFA members, our FFA advisors, and our Sleepy Eye Summer Ag. Program Intern. Later, after all of the supplies had been gathered, volunteers will help to pack the 400 backpacks for the students in need.
Thank you to the local businesses who helped collect donations in our communities this July for the project. Our FFA members are able to utilize United Way funds to help cover costs for FFA events throughout the year and we were happy to give back by helping out with this project!