Collaborative drive to send 30,000 supplied backpacks to Richmond area children

Virginia Commonwealth University, in collaboration with a multitude of sponsoring companies, hosted the eighth annual Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive on Thursday afternoon. 

Over 400 people, predominantly employees of the supporting companies, signed up to volunteer, according to event organizer Timmy Nguyen. The volunteers wrapped around and worked off of a multitude of long tables in the center that overflowed with boxes of clear bookbags and school supplies, donated by residents and involved companies.

Nguyen, who has helped organize the event since it began in 2017, said that goal is to ship over 30,000 backpacks ready for all students in Richmond Public Schools to use when they start school this fall. Other neighboring school divisions in jurisdictions like Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, and Petersburg will also be receiving some backpacks. 

Superintendent Jason Kamras, who was at the event alongside City Council President Cynthia Newbille (7th District) and Councilor Katherine Jordan (2nd District), said that a lot of families in Richmond aren’t able to currently afford the supplies the drive was providing for free. 

“Being able to take that worry, not only off of the kids' minds, but off of our parents' minds, to not feel like, ‘My God, how am I going to provide those basic essentials for my kids?’ That's a big benefit,” he said. 

The event first began within the 7th District, an effort spearheaded by current Richmond School Board Member Cheryl Burke. Since 2017, the bookbag drive has resulted in over 151,000 backpacks for students in the Richmond area, Nguyen said. 

Supporting companies included Estes Express Lines, Dominion Energy, Lego, CoStar Group, Virginia Credit Union, Comcast, and Greater Richmond Convention Center – where the event was held. 

Contact Reporter Victoria A. Ifatusin at vifatusin@richmonder.org. Dominion Energy and VCU are sponsors of The Richmonder, but did not influence or review this story.