This year, instead of hosting its own Backpack Giveaway, Boys & Girls Club of Dane County (BGCDC) will strive to reach the greater community by partnering with numerous organizations to ensure that kids are prepared for a successful school year. In addition, BGCDC is hoping to partner with other organizations to expand its reach and to avoid duplicating services for its youth.
School supplies donated to BGCDC will be distributed to youth in Dane County, Fort Atkinson County and Walworth County. Partnerships making it possible include the 100 Black Men of Madison whom have provided more than 35,000 backpacks filled with needed school supplies to area at-risk youth for the past 23 years at their Annual Backpack for Success event. BGCDC partnered with 100 Black Men to provide transportation for their youth and families to the event.
In addition, Milio’s Sandwiches will be collecting supplies at all 18 of their Dane County locations through Friday, Aug. 17. All supplies collected at the Sun Prairie Milio’s locations will be donated to our partners at Sunshine Place in Sun Prairie to support their “Stuff the Bus” initiative.
In addition to school supply collections, BGCDC is hosting an exclusive Back-to-School Carnival for its Club youth to kick off the school year on Friday, Aug. 17. Their partners – Herzing University, US Celluar, and Milio’s Sandwiches – will be dropping off school supplies between noon and 12:30 p.m. at the carnival located at McKee Farms in Fitchburg. This allows the kids an opportunity to visually see community members assisting to ensure they are prepared for school as well as partners a chance to see the kid’s excitement.
“We are grateful for our partnerships with these organizations to further expand the reach of school supplies needed in preparing the youth in our community. Most families would benefit from additional assistance,” said BGCDC interim president/CEO Rod Mitchell in a statement.
Partnerships include:
◆ August 11: 100 Black Men of Madison, 2,000 backpack give-a-way, 9-12pm at Madison College – Truax Campus
◆ August 13-17: Black Power Summit, 9:00-1:00 p.m. at Memorial High School. A Black Male Initiative piloted by Langston Evans with the Madison Metropolitan School District and the AVID/TOPS program to provide black males additional supports as they transition from 8th to 9th grade in the Memorial Feeder Pattern.
◆ July 23rd – August 17: Milio’s Sandwiches Back to School Supply Drive.
◆ August 17: US Cellular holding a workplace school supply drive and volunteering at the BGCDC Back-to-School Carnival.
◆ September 7: Healthy, Happy, Hygiene Night: A BGC family event with local businesses giving away hair & nail vouchers to increase back-to-school confidence at our Allied Family Center on 4619 Jenewein Road, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Paul Mitchell-The School Madison is giving away 100 vouchers along with more confidence building businesses will be present.
