“In 2017 we sent out 2,628 care packs to children and young people in state care and in domestic violence and homeless shelters as well as nearly 2,500 Christmas presents. Eighty percent of what we send out comes from public donations.
“Most of the work is done by volunteers. We get 30 to 40 at each of our packing sessions.
“Backpacks contain the fun stuff like toys, games and books but also plenty of useful items like clothing and hygiene products. Each back pack is checked three times to ensure that the contents are of high quality and suitable for the child.
“In the school holidays we are happy to see many children come in to volunteer packing the backpacks. Children volunteering from local schools and the community learn a valuable practical lesson in understanding and helping other young people.
“All of our back packs are matched for age or size and the gender. As adolescents seem to be getting bigger, we are now including some adult sizes.
“We are always on the lookout for another place where we can make a contribution. Last year we provided 52 ‘home starter packs’ of everyday home items to families trying to set themselves up in new accommodation and we are doing that again this year.
You can get in touch with Rachael via Facebook, the website or at hello@backpacks4sakids.org
You can read the full article in the Guardian’s May 2018 Newsletter.
