Cradles to Crayons to Provide 252,000 Free Backpacks and School Supplies to MA, IL and PA Students

Cradles to Crayons is preparing to hand out more than 250,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to students in Massachusetts, Illinois, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

The non-profit’s “Ready for Learning” initiative is the largest free backpack distribution program in the region and is “designed to break down hidden barriers to education and empower children to feel safe, valued, and ready to learn.”

The brand-new backpacks will come equipped with new folders, notebooks, pencils, crayons, and other supplies and will be offered to families across Massachusetts, Chicago area, Wilmington, Delaware, and Greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“The lack of school essentials and affordable adequate, appropriate clothing (also known as the hidden crisis, Clothing Insecurity) is a barrier to academic success and impacts their ability to focus or even attend school. C2C is the only large scale non-profit organization dedicated to addressing Clothing Insecurity. This year, C2C will distribute one million packages of clothing, shoes, diapers, and essentials, to families and children across its network,” the organization announced in a press release.

“The costs of getting students ready for new school year are higher than ever: families with school-aged children spent an average of $890.07 on back-to-school items in 2023, for a total spend of more than $41 billion across the U.S. – both record highs,” the announcement continued. “C2C’s Ready for Learning initiative bridges the financial barrier for families who are already working hard to afford the rising cost of living.”

Three “Backpack-A-Thon” events have already taken place in which thousands of volunteers pack the backpacks. The events were held on July 31 in Chicago, Illinois, August 1 in Boston, Massachusetts, and August 2 in Wilmington, Delaware. One more event is scheduled to take place on August 22 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at Lincoln Financial Field.

In addition to the thousands of corporate and individual volunteers, C2C also has the support of notable celebrities, including Chicago Fire star Daniel Kyri.

“Y’all are the reason the Cradles to Crayons can continue its mission to aid children in the Chicagoland area and to provide them with the supplies they need to continue to learn and grow,” Daniel said in a video addressing the volunteers.

Cortez Smith, star of Showtime’s The Chi, added, “For the 9th year in a row, this high-energy event is bringing together more than 700 volunteers to fill over 30,000 backpacks, raising support for kids in the low-income area and the homeless families… Thank you to everyone involved for making a real difference in the lives of these kids.”

According to the founder and CEO of Cradles to Crayons, Lynn Margherio, “When children have essential school supplies and basic necessities like clothing and shoes, they can go back to school with self-confidence, excitement, and dignity.”

“If kids’ basic needs aren’t met, the long-term effects can be devastating,” she added.

Cradles to Crayons – which was founded in 2002 and has since supplied nearly 6 million packages of essentials like clothing, shoes, diapers, and school supplies to children who don’t have access to these critical resources – believes “children deserve the clothing essentials they need to feel safe, warm, ready to learn, and valued.”

“Three of the top 10 reasons children do not attend school are due to Clothing Insecurity and lack of school supplies. We are dedicated to ensuring students return to the classroom equipped and ready to thrive. We’re grateful to our corporate sponsors, Service Partners, and supporters who help us support kids during these critical developmental years,” Margherio continued.