This group of FFA members and teachers helped to inventory all of the school supplies for the United Way Backpack Project. Pictured l to r – Chloe Howe, Noemi Rodriguez, Nichole Krenz, Ellen Windschitl, Gracie Sellner, and Leisha Martinez. Not pictured: Izzy Kunkel.
By: Kyle Capacia, FFA Reporter
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.
The thousands of school 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 10 volunteers come together to help sort the supplies at the New Ulm Library. The volunteers included: FFA members, our FFA advisors, and DCD Special Education Teacher Nichole Krenz. 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!