Backpacks slated to help those less fortunate stolen from Salvation Army

Mar 02, 2024

“Going back to school is expensive. It costs families a lot of money. Children need backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles. Another big thing they need is shoes — usually two pairs, indoor and outdoor. We try to support families with that,” said Flukinger. “Families who are struggling with those costs apply, we meet with each family and determine their need. We provide them with these. For high school students, we try to provide them with binders and paper as well.”

The team was looking to secure around 200 backpacks for this year’s program and is now starting from scratch. The packs are set to be distributed to those in the community in late August.

“We think the need will be bigger than ever this year. Last year, we served about 140 children. Some of them came from the Ukraine or other countries on refugee status. With the expense crisis going up this year, we think there will be more applications than ever from our local families as well. We would appreciate any support we can get because this really has set us back,” said Flukinger.