September 28, 2026
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A new school year should be filled with excitement, new opportunities, and the anticipation of seeing friends again. But for families struggling to make ends meet, back-to-school season can also bring added financial stress.
Thanks to the support of donors, volunteers, schools and community agencies across Bruce and Grey counties, the United Way of Bruce Grey's backpack program helped 2,460 local students start the school year with the supplies they needed to feel prepared, confident and included in the classroom.
Behind every one of those numbers is a local child.
This year, those students were assisted across four different grade levels:
631 primary
640 intermediate
466 senior
723 high school
Of the total students assisted, 1,992 received support through local agencies and schools, while another 468 students were assisted through individual family registrations through 211.
One in every 10 students - that is the scale of need reflected in this year’s backpack program - a number equivalent to approximately 10 per cent of all students enrolled across the three publicly-funded school systems serving Bruce-Grey. It also represents a seven-per-cent increase over 2025, another concerning sign of the growing financial pressure facing local families.
Since the backpack program began, 42,755 local students have been assisted.
That represents thousands of first days of school made a little easier, thousands of families with one less expense to worry about, and thousands of children who could arrive at school with the supplies they needed alongside their classmates.
“Every backpack represents a local child starting the school year with the tools needed and the confidence that comes with being prepared,” said Francesca Dobbyn, executive director of the United Way of Bruce Grey. “Reaching 42,755 students assisted over the life of this program is an incredible reflection of the generosity of our community. This year alone, 2,460 students received support because donors, volunteers, businesses, schools, and community partners helped make sure local kids could start the school year ready to learn.”
A backpack may seem like a simple thing, but to a child heading back to school, what is inside can make a big difference.
Pencils, notebooks, binders, crayons, and other everyday classroom supplies help students participate, learn, and feel as if they belong. Having those supplies ready on the first day means a child can focus on what matters most: learning, making friends and experiencing everything a new school year has to offer.
The backpack program is built around a simple philosophy: “Every child has a backpack – every backpack has a child.”
For parents and caregivers already paying for groceries, housing, utilities, and other necessities, the cost of preparing a child for school can be high. For families with more than one school-aged child, those costs can add up quickly.
The backpack program helps take one worry off their list.
The program is truly a community effort.
Families can register individually through 211, while local schools and community agencies can submit requests based on the needs of the families they serve. Connecting families through 211 also gives them a chance to learn about other programs and services available in Bruce and Grey Counties.
But none of this happens without community support.
Donors, volunteers, local businesses, schools, agencies, and community organizations all play a role. Whether you donated school supplies, made a financial contribution, volunteered your time, hosted a collection, or helped connect a family with the program, every contribution helped put school supplies into the hands of a local student.
The United Way of Bruce Grey extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported the 2026 backpack program, and a special thank you to Afreen Rahman, program co-ordinator and summer student.
For more information about the program or to make a donation, visit unitedwayofbrucegrey.com/services-offered/backpack-program.
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