Originally published on 8/13/19
Over 415 volunteers averaging a total of 2,075 volunteer hours helped sort and distribute over 3,000 backpacks full of school supplies to Alvin ISD students on Saturday, August 10 during the annual Operation Backpack and Back to School Event held at Harby Junior High.
Operation Backpack is a program that has been offered for the past 15 years by the YMCA. Through Operation Backpack, the Thelma Ley Anderson YMCA in Alvin in collaboration with local organizations, provide new school supplies and backpacks to students in need from our community, empowering them with both the tools and the confidence they need to start the school year successfully. This year, the TLA YMCA collaborated with the First Presbyterian Church of Alvin to run the logistics and organization of this huge event.
Local community individuals like Bel Sanchez, along with organizations such as Ascend Performance Materials, Alvin Sunrise Rotary, the Marguerite Edwards Civic Improvement Trust, Soroptimist International of Alvin, Davis Day Foundation, HEB, and Community in Schools, all made major contributions to the success of this program through generous monetary donations, school supplies and backpacks donations as well as volunteer manpower.
The Alvin ISD Office of Family and Community Engagement coordinated the distribution of school supplies vouchers for the students and enlisted the help of the Alvin ISD Police, Maintenance, and Transportation Department to ensure a safe and smooth event for parents, students, and volunteers. In addition, this office coordinated the participation of hundreds of Alvin ISD volunteers, which included staff, parents, and students from many of the Alvin ISD students’ civic and athletic organizations.
Along with Operation Backpack, a Back to School Health Fair was offered on this day, and students were able to received free immunizations, dental check ups, and hair cuts among other health services provided by local health organizations and hair stylist.
“Alvin ISD is grateful for the support from the Thelma Ley Anderson YMCA and all the individuals and organizations that made this event a success and above all who empowered thousands of students to start the school year in a very positive way,” said Ana Pasarella, Alvin ISD Director of Family and Community Engagement .