Your gift will help provide backpacks, school supplies, new much-needed socks, hygiene kits, and a welcoming back-to-school celebration for students at Clairton City School District, with additional backpacks and supplies going to students in need from other schools in the City of Pittsburgh.
The start of a new school year should bring confidence and excitement. But for some students, it also brings a very practical question: will they have what they need on the first day?
We serve families that are in transient housing situations, students who experience homelessness and those who simply do not have the funds to provide much needed items as the school year begins.
Our Backpack Campaign 2026 is about meeting that need in a simple, meaningful way. A backpack filled with school supplies can help a student begin the year feeling prepared. A warm back-to-school celebration can help students and families feel welcomed, supported, and connected from the start.
A deadline we need to meet
We have until early September to raise the funds needed for this campaign. That means the time to act is now. As the deadline gets closer, every gift matters more because every gift helps put real supplies into students’ hands before school begins.
Your support today helps provide:
- Backpacks for students
- Essential school supplies like notebooks, folders, and pencils
- Hygiene kits and new socks (many students walk to school in inclement weather)
- Back-to-school celebration programming that builds connection and encouragement
- An entry point into year-round support, fun learning opportunities and safe, supportive childcare through the Will Allen Foundation
Because of you, students can start strong
Because of you, a student can show up on day one with the tools they need. Because of you, families can feel some relief during a busy and often expensive season. Because of you, the first days of school can feel more steady, more welcoming, and full of possibility.
And this support can open the door to more than a strong start. In recent programming, community support helped more than 100 students from Clairton and The Neighborhood Academy stay connected to safe, engaging summer learning that included robotics, mentoring, meals, transportation, and career pathway exposure. That is a good reminder that when students are connected early, it can lead to deeper support all year long.
Please make your gift today. Your donation will help make sure students begin the school year prepared, encouraged, and connected to opportunity.