Back2School backpack drive this weekend
As the start of the 2018-19 school year nears, many families are preparing for the new academic year. But for many in the Pocatello area, school supplies are a sacrifice they can’t make. That’s where Josh Robinson of the Back2School backpack program comes in.
“You know it kind of ticks every box, right? You’re helping children. You’re meeting a very valid need. And you’re able to pull the entire community together to do it,” Robinson said.
Robinson has been running the drive for the past 12 years. Organizing and supplying nearly 2,000 kids, grades K-12, with backpacks and other essential needs. But his intentions have always been the same.
“Well since the beginning my goal was to try to provide as many resources in one place as possible, at one time. And so first we started with school supplies, and then we said let’s add clothing to that, then let’s add medical services, then let’s add food,” Robinson explained. “Every year we kept adding more and more resources to the point where now, on one day, in one place, you can have 20-30 essential resources for family right there.”
While Johnson spends nearly three months out of each year organizing the event, it’s not possible without the assistance of the City of Pocatello.
“And that’s really the beauty of this event, I’m just a single organization. I’m just one person that organizes an event for one day. But the reason this exists is because of the 80 businesses that donate, and the hundreds and hundreds of individuals that donate. So really it’s the City of Pocatello that comes together to make this event possible,” Robinson said.
Phil Meador Toyota is just one of these contributors. Sales manager Joe Leedgard says any need that involves kids is something they want to help with.
“It’s amazing to see the excitement and enthusiasm in all these kids,” Leedgard said. “It’s almost like you feel you’re giving them hope, some kind of opportunity to succeed.”
The event is being held at the Mountain View Event Center this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
