850 Backpacks Filled With Supplies Delivered To Walker Middle School To Get Ready For Back-to-School

[Orlando, FL] July 19, 2022 – More than 70% of schools in Central Florida are considered high-need, and thousands of students will arrive at class on the first day of school with nothing in their hands. A Gift for Teaching’s Ready For Back-to-School, a three-part community giveback campaign, aims to help these students start the school year with essential supplies to be excited and prepared to learn.

This year, The Great Big Backpack Build initiative kicked off the campaign at the end of June with 15,000 brand-new backpacks and school supplies funded and packed by generous community partners like Wells Fargo. These backpacks will be delivered to more than 130 Orange County and Osceola County public schools with the highest need in preparation for the new school year.

Wells Fargo has been a partner in education with Walker Middle School for 10 years supporting the City Year Orlando AmeriCorps volunteers who serve at the school each year.

For nearly 25 years, A Gift for Teaching has helped ensure Central Florida students have the tools and experiences they need to succeed each school year. More than $9 million worth of free educational resources were distributed to local educators and their students last school year, and one-third of the supplies distributed were collected and raised through A Gift for Teaching’s Ready For Back-to-School.

This year, the need is even greater. Through August 10, 2022, local businesses and groups can register to be a part of the Back-to-School Drive initiative, Central Florida’s largest school supply drive, to help make a difference so teachers and students can begin the next school year with success. To learn how to start a supply drive, visit www.AGiftForTeaching.org/supplydrive.