Students in Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties were among 5,000 Maryland students to receive backpacks and school supplies this year through Pack the Pack, the Support Education Foundation’s annual back-to-school initiative, which distributed more than 16,000 pounds of supplies across 14 Maryland counties.
Volunteers from the Foundation, Educational Systems Federal Credit Union, and the community gathered at the Foundation’s Rockville office to sort and pack supplies for students in Allegany, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Wicomico counties. “Pack the Pack is about making sure students have the tools they need to walk into the classroom ready to learn and succeed,” said Dominic Powell, a board member of the Support Education Foundation. “Thanks to the tremendous support of our volunteers and community partners, 5,000 students across 14 Maryland counties will begin the school year with the supplies they need.”
The program has a longer history than this year’s release lets on. Educational Systems FCU has run some version of the backpack drive since at least 2013, historically donating between roughly 5,200 and 7,900 backpacks a year to middle school students across the seven to ten school systems the credit union serves — a footprint that’s grown into this year’s 14-county reach under the Support Education Foundation, the 501(c)(3) the credit union established in 2017 to house its scholarship, professional development, and backpack programs.
Among this year’s recipient organizations was the Education Foundation of Anne Arundel County Public Schools, which received 150 filled backpacks. “We are deeply grateful for the generosity of the Support Education Foundation and its donation of 150 filled backpacks,” said Joe Callahan, executive director of the Anne Arundel foundation. “These critical school supplies will ensure that our students have everything they need to start the new school year ready to learn. The supplies allow our families, especially those who are unable to afford them, to breathe a sigh of relief knowing their community is there to support them.”
More information on the Support Education Foundation is available at SupportEducation.org.
