Police in Waterloo region are collecting backpacks for kids in need. Here's how you can help

Back-to-school supplies require a long list of needs — between pencils, notebooks and binders, it's a daunting task to stock up on the essentials.

It's an even more daunting task to come by when you're a family in need of those supplies.

That's why the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) have been collecting backpacks for kids in need for seven years, in an initiative called the Backpack Challenge.

But this year, the number of students registered for a new backpack has reached 7,000, the most the police force has ever seen.

The expenses of going back to school, on top of the cost of living, has most likely contributed to that number, says WRPS spokesperson Cherri Greeno.

"I think people are struggling to just put food on their table," said Greeno. "There are a lot of expenses. And when you add in the back-to-school expenses of the supplies, the backpacks, the shoes, it really does add up and could be hundreds of dollars for these families that just don't have it right now."

"Anything that we can do to help them and to help these children head back to school with a smile, we're ready to do that. And we're really grateful that the community has come on board too."

Community help 

WRPS has already received help from the community, including from Krishna Mandir's Outreach Group which will be donating 1,056 backpacks to the cause.

But extra support from the community is in need, and Greeno says people can help out in a myriad of ways.

"They can go shopping on their own or with their children. They can purchase the backpacks or the school supplies, and they can bring them to any of our divisions," she said. "We usually will have police officers meet them. If they come in with their children, the police officers will post their photos with them and talk to them."

The age range of kids in need goes "right from kindergarten up to Grade 12," according to Greeno.

"It started out small really, as an emergency service challenge," she said. "We encouraged fire and paramedics to join us in raising backpacks and school supplies for children. And then over the years we just saw it grow because the community became such a huge part in it and they wanted to help."