Kinecta Federal Credit Union is launching its 15th annual backpack drive to support underserved students in grades 3-12 here in Southern California as the 2024-25 school year approaches.
Kinecta’s annual backpack drive initiative seeks to alleviate this burden by providing essential school supplies to students in need, and we’re sharing information about this drive as a community service.
We spoke to Latrice McGlothin, Executive Director of Kinecta’s Community Foundation, about the impact of this annual backpack drive.
“The goal of the backpack drive is to help ensure that all students start the school year prepared and confident. It’s a way to help level the playing field,” Ms. McGlothin said.
Donations Now Being Accepted
From now through July 22, 2024, Kinecta is accepting donations of new backpacks and school supplies. Community members can contribute through Kinecta’s Amazon Wish List, make monetary donations online, or drop off items at any Kinecta branch location.
With Amazon Prime Day deals on the horizon July 16-17, the credit union is encouraging the community to leverage these discounts for a greater purpose. (Don’t have Prime? Sign up for a FREE 30-Day Trial with our link.)
Back To School Supplies Can Add Up
Kinecta knows that it can be expensive to stock up on back to school supplies. According to the National Retail Federation, last year’s average back-to-school expenditure reached $890.07 per family, presenting a significant challenge for those with limited resources.
The backpack drive has helped thousands of kids in Southern California over the years over the 15 years that Kinecta has run it and this year they’re hoping to reach over 1000 students.
Ms McGlothin went on to say, “It’s important to Kinecta and to the Foundation to make a positive impact in the community we serve. We want to foster financial education and financial literacy, not just among students. Giving kids a great start on their school year is just one aspect of that.”
How The Donation Drive Works
Kinecta works with community partners and nonprofits that help identify families with students who need backpacks and other school supplies, and those are the families that will receive the donations.
They also count on support from community members like you reading this to help fund the backpack drive. You can get involved by donating backpacks and school supplies at one of the branches, or you can donate money to the fund.
Another way you can help is to check out Kinecta’s Amazon wish list and purchase items they’ve requested. If you’ll be shopping on Prime Day this year, your purchases can be come contributions, and you can make a tangible difference in our local community.
The drive will benefit students in communities like Inglewood, Hawthorne, Los Angeles, and South LA (and more).
Learn more about Kinecta and the Community Foundation here.
This is not a sponsored post; we are sharing information about this donation drive as a community service.
Sarah Auerswald is the co-Founder and Managing Editor of MomsLA.com.
