The Cochrane and area Family Resource Network (FRN) has been helping to relieve some of the stress and costs associated with going back to school for students and families in need since 2009.
This year is no exception, as the FRN welcomes back its annual backpack program Aug. 17, a few weeks before the start of the new school year.
"The intention [of the program] has always been to ease the stress and costs associated with starting a new school year by providing students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 with back-to-school supplies," said Wendy Farnsworth, FRN coordinator. "Our partnerships have changed throughout the years, but we've always been well-supported by our generous community."
This year – same as last – the Town of Cochrane’s social support service team has partnered with the local Kiwanis Club and Staples to raise money to purchase and fill 100 backpacks with school supplies for Cochrane and rural west Rocky View County students in need.
A total of 140 backpacks were given away last year, according to Farnsworth, showcasing the program’s growth. They gave away 70 in the first year of the program, in comparison.
"We ran out of backpacks but we were still able to get those other students the support they needed with the extra monetary donations that we had," she said. "We run this program, and others like it, to remove barriers and support the people in our community that need it."
With the monetary donations they accept through the program, Staples purchases the backpacks and fills them with basic school supplies including pens, pencils, paper, binders and notepads. Additional supplies including coloured crayons or markers may appear in some of the packs for younger students, while supplies may be different for recipients in older grades.
Donations from the Kiwanis Club of Cochrane and any extra donations from the public will be used to purchase gift cards and fill in any supply gaps, such as calculators or other needed items.
On Aug. 23, FRN and its community partners will also be hosting a back-to-school event for local families at 107 1 Avenue from 6 to 8 p.m.
Farnsworth says the event is intended to help prepare students and their families for a successful school year.
"It's going to be packed with fun and information on available supports and resources for families when it comes to starting the school year," she said.
Some of the partners in attendance will include the Cochrane Activettes, which runs a program offering school lunch items to students, as well as the Kiwanis Club, which runs numerous programs geared toward bettering the lives of youth in the Cochrane area.
To register for the FRN back-to-school backpack program, visit their office 107 1 Avenue or call 403-851-2265. To make a monetary donation to the program, visit the FRN office or donations can also be made at the Staples located at 40 Quarry Street E in Cochrane.
To participate in the program, families must show proof of enrolment in a Cochrane or west Rocky View County school and GST documentation listing dependent children. Residents without proper documentation can call to book an appointment with a resource worker at the FRN.
