CARES hosts their annual backpack giveaway

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – It’s that time of year again where parents and their kids get prepared for back to school, and Cares wants to make it easier for families with the annual Backpack giveaway.

Cares Advocates for Families or CARES, is providing kids K through 12 with free backpacks that are filled with the school supplies they need to start the year strong.

The organization says this will be the biggest backpack drive yet, giving away 1,250 in total.
CARES says at the first event 12 years ago, they handed out 50 bags and its grown exponentially, in part, due to the partnership with the City of Binghamton since 2017.

The acting CEO for CARES Denise Yull says that it’s hard work packing the backpacks, but it’s worth it in the end.

Denise Yull, Acting CEO for cares says, “We hope that these backpacks will help children come to school feeling prepared, and also ease the burden for families who may not be able to afford to buy all the supplies their children need. So just as it takes a village to raise a child it takes a community to prepare for school.”

There will be three opportunities to pick up a bag all starting at 11 a.m.

The first is on Thursday at the Saratoga Apartments Community Center, then on Friday at Walnut Street Park, and finally on Saturday at Cheri Lindsey Park.

On Saturday they will have free food, music, haircuts, Firetrucks, the Rumble Ponies and more.
Yull says the majority of the backpacks will be handed out during Saturday’s session at Cheri Lindsey.

Backpacks will be available on a first-come first-serve basis.

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