The Village’s annual back-to-school backpack drive has a new twist this year that will not only provide local students with much-needed school supplies but also menstrual and hygiene products to prevent challenges like chronic school absenteeism.
The Village has partnered with local nonprofits Dignity Grows and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut to ensure that students have everything they need to be ready for school and to fight period poverty, which Dignity Grows reports affects over one-third of Americans.
The goal is to provide more than 1,000 students with essential supplies before school begins in Hartford on August 27—including backpacks, pencils, notebooks, uniforms and Dignity Grows totes that contain menstrual and hygiene products—to ease the financial stress families face at the start of a new school year, especially as back-to-school costs remain at one of the highest rates ever recorded.
With only two weeks until the new school year begins, The Village calls on the community to help by providing online donations to ensure students have adequate supplies on day one. Online donations to the Back-to-School Drive can be made at thevillage.org/school.
“When students have the basic supplies they need and can begin the school year with confidence, they’re in a better place to thrive and succeed. Families we serve need help to provide these items, and it’s important that our community rallies around our youth and supports them,” said Village President & CEO Hector Glynn. “We’re proud to partner with Dignity Grows and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut on this initiative and alleviate families from having to make the difficult decisions between providing their children with crucial items like school supplies and period products or basic needs like food or rent.”
According to the National Retail Federation, families with children in elementary through high school will spend an average of about $875 on school items, which is only slightly lower than last year and the second-highest amount recorded by the NRF.
“We are honored to collaborate with two impactful organizations that share our vision to address poverty for Greater Hartford students and their families,” said Jennifer Tolman, President & COO of Dignity Grows. “Menstrual hygiene products and school supplies go hand-in-hand to ensure students start off the school year with all the tools they need for success. Dignity Grows is proud to partner with school districts across the region, the state, and the country to empower students to achieve their educational goals.”
“Offering equitable opportunities for children to succeed in school and beyond is a critical piece of our Onward860 strategic vision to eliminate poverty in all its forms,” said Eric Harrison, President and CEO, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. “We are grateful to partner with The Village and Dignity Grows to close gaps and create opportunities for local families experiencing the financial strains of back-to-school season.”
Volunteers from The Hartford, PKF O’Connor Davies, United Way of Central and Northeastern
Connecticut and M&T Bank joined The Village and Dignity Grows on Thursday to help fill backpacks with school supplies and tote bags of hygiene products that will be given to students, but hundreds more are still needed.
The Village Back-to-School Drive is an annual effort that will distribute more than 2,000 backpacks filled with supplies and 500 Dignity Grows totes to students in Greater Hartford before the start of the school year at various local back-to-school events.
News coverage:
- West Hartford group adds period products to back-to-school giveaway (WTNH)
- Hartford nonprofits team up to supply families with school supplies, hygiene kits (FOX61)
- West Hartford group adds period products to back-to-school giveaway (NBC CT)
- Hartford nonprofit fights period poverty, school absenteeism with backpack drive (CT Public, NPR)