Volunteers Stuff Backpacks for “Tools for School”

Dozens of community volunteers gathered Tuesday at Zanesville Middle School to stuff backpacks for the “Tools for School” program.

One thousand-five backpacks for 450 local families are filled according to the appropriate supply list per grade and class. Each volunteer has the registered student’s supply list and follows an assembly line to fill the backpack with the required supplies. On top of the efforts to prepare local students for the first day of school, those who helped Tuesday are also trying to remain “green.” Co-chair, Ellen Shaw explained…

“We try to recycle everything that we possibly can. The cases that things come in, anything that is plastic and we even take our erasers and rip the back off and put them in a cardboard bin and put the plastic in another one. We do that with everything we can. ”

A lot of preparation and effort goes into stuffing the backpacks, and the community plays a big part. Shaw said it’s a well-oiled machine.

“The community is just so supportive, not only with the items that go into them but with the dollars and we have a buyer,” Shaw said. “One of our committee members is the buyer and she starts getting ads and comparing ads to see which prices are best, and we try to buy from some of our local stores.”

Eastside Community Ministry is distributing the backpacks this Thursday from 8:30-11 a.m. at Zanesville Middle School for those who have registered.