Thank You Cards & Letters

PRESENTED BY

More than 25 Sacramento-area nonprofits, including social-service agencies and school districts, received backpacks/school supplies through Volunteers of America's 2011 Operation Backpack campaign. Please see below for thank-you notes and cards from those agencies as well as from students who benefited from your donations.

Operation Backpack is a vital resource for the homeless students in Sacramento City Unified School District. With foreclosures, evictions, layoffs, furloughs and unemployment affecting our community, our homeless student population has exploded, jumping from 892 to over 1,800 students in one year. In addition to those families who have already lost their homes and jobs, we have seen a large increase in calls from working families who are one step away from homelessness and job loss. They are desperate for assistance and support as they try to keep their homes and jobs, struggling with depressed wages and rising food, utility, fuel and other costs.

Parents and students are very grateful for the backpacks and school supplies. Many parents have told us they were having to choose between buying their child a backpack or paying the utility bill. One parent, who came to our office for services, had lost her job to the economy and then her home to foreclosure. She and her two children were living in cramped quarters with relatives. All she wanted was to help her children “feel normal” under such a stressful situation, and she did not want them to be embarrassed in school. She had no money for school supplies and was teary-eyed when we offered her two new, stuffed backpacks from Operation Backpack. Although we offered her additional resources, such as emergency food, hygiene (products), and clothing, she declined, telling us that “others may need it more.” She just wanted, at this moment, to bring her children home something special ... something they were not expecting given the family’s situation. Although I wasn’t there to see her children’s reaction to the backpacks, I have no doubt there were big smiles and hugs all around. So on behalf of that family and many more, thank you Operation Backpack, Volunteers of America and volunteers.

– Monica McRho, Program Coordinator, Parker Family Resource Center & Homeless Services Office, Sacramento City Unified School District

"River Oak Center for Children relies on the generosity of the community to help meet the needs of the chldren and families we serve. Volunteers of America's Operation Backpack is one program that makes a significant impact on our children. Going back to school in the fall can be intimidating for any child, but coupled with a behavioral or emotional challenge and low economic resources, it can be overwhelming. The first response of many of our children when faced with a new situation is to pull back and not participate. School is no different. When you do not have paper, crayons, or glue, it is much easier to pretend that you don't want to do the assignment rather than admit that you aren't prepared. This pushes the child even further behind their peers in the classroom academically and socially.

"A father of a young man was mentioning to his clinician all the added expenses and stresses they were facing due to an unexpected move and their concern about being able to be ready for school. A Family Partner overheard the conversation and went to get a filled backpack to give the child as he left. It was hard to tell who had the larger smile – dad or the young man. Many grandparents have stepped forward and are raising their grandchildren, often on very limited funds. One such family received two backpacks. The financial help was appreciated, but the convenience (was, too,) as the grandmother has limited means of getting out to stores. Another young man took delight in showing his clinician that he could put his hand through the bottom of his old backpack. With his new one, he doesn't have to worry about things falling out on the way to school. The mom quickly took possession of the backpack to put away until school started so that the supplies weren't used up by an over-enthusiastic third-grader! Thank you, Volunteers of America, for Operation Backpack!

– Alice Gentry, Community Affairs Manager, River Oak Center for Children

"Operation Backpack is a critical component of the services that are provided through the Homeless and Foster Youth Program at Natomas Unified School District. Through this program we are able to serve many of the students who do not have the resources to buy school supplies and backpacks and come to school prepared. Natomas is a community that has a large number of students who live in doubled-up situations, and many of the families are struggling financially. With limited district resources, we are heavily dependent on programs such as the Operation Backpack program to fulfill a big need in our community, and we are very thankful to Volunteers of America and all their partners for their support and help."

– Amreek Singh, Homeless/Foster Youth Liaison, Natomas Unified School District

“Thank you so much for an amazing Pick-a-Pack Day on July 28. One-hundred-and-twenty of our youth were able to come and receive backpacks and school supplies. They were so grateful! We couldn’t do it without you! Thank you so much for your support!"

– Genevieve Deignan, Programs Director, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services

"Operation Backpack was a lifesaver for our community this year. As you may already know, resources have been rapidly decreasing in the present economy and with being a small community, it has been difficult to replace lost resources and re-distribute limited funding. However, thanks to Volunteers of America, we were able to reach out to a wider community and share a portion of the received donations. Without the generous approval of our request for backpacks and school supplies, we wouldn’t have been able to serve nearly 80 children in the Lincoln community.

"On behalf of the Lighthouse Family Resource Center, I want to thank Volunteers of America for coordinating Operation Backpack and for supporting smaller communities like ours, and also many thanks to all donors of the Greater Sacramento area. I wish your organization continued success."

– Rina Rojas, Resource Coordinator, Lighthouse Family Resource Center

"Thank you so very much for including the youth here at Mather Community Campus, Sacramento Emergency Housing Center, in the Volunteers of America backpack event. The community, along with Volunteers of America, has provided this wonderful opportunity to the youth who otherwise may not have a new backpack and the appropriate school supplies for the upcoming school year. We are very grateful to you all. The youth are still talking about their wonderful packs they received and all the goodies inside of them. All the youth on campus are very proud of their backpacks which will make the first day of school a lot more exciting for them. Thank you for all the happiness you bring to the children here at MCC. You will never realize how much your friendship and support means to us all. It takes many hands to have so many miracles. You all are certainly an amazing group."

– Mary Anne Wheeler, Mather Community Campus Children's Services Program Supervisor, Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center

And from the kids ...

Thank you so much for the backpack and supplies. I appreciate it very much since my mom and dad spend a lot of money on school supplies, backpacks, and school uniforms for my brothers, sister, and me. It was very thoughtful and helpful of you to do this event because a lot of people need money to buy food and clothes. I am going to need all of the supplies at the beginning of the school year. Thank you!!!

– Jenny

Thank you for the backpack! It will help me a lot this year! Have a great day!

– Angie

Thank you for giving me supplies. I will need for school. I like my backpack very much! Thank you so much for the backpack and supplies! My mom would have had to spend about $100 just for supplies and backpacks for my sisters, my brother and me. Thank you!!!

– Kevin

Thank you for giving me a backpack and putting supplies in my backpack. I like my backpack and supplies very much!!! I am going to need the supplies in school. I am happy that I got a new backpack. Thank you!

– Kathy

Thank you for giving me a backpack and supplies. I like my backpack.

– David

I would really like to say Thank You! I really like my backpack. It has a lot of cool things. I like the USB that I got, now I can use it for my daily homework assignments. Thank you so much! I REALLY appreciate it. There’s not enough words to say and express how thankful I am. I am really grateful.

– Diana

Thank you very much for buying and donating the very gorgeous and helpful backpacks to us from your own money. I we didn’t get these backpacks then we probably wouldn’t have gotten to make my little sister’s birthday. I love my backpack that I got because I am going to fifth grade. Thank you again! Now I can’t wait to go to school.

– Beatriz

Hi! My name is Erisan. I am 13 years old. I am going into 8^th grade this fall. Sadly this is my last year at my school, but I am very happy and proud of myself that I have made it all the way through! I would like to really, really, really thank you for the wonderful backpack that you have gave me. If it weren’t for your kind heart when school started, I would have be using my old backpack that has a few holes at the bottom. So I really want to thank you for giving me this amazing backpack. Thank you for all of the fantastic school supplies that you gave me inside my new backpack. You truly saved my mom at least four trips to the store minimum. This way you’re not only helping my mom, but you are also helping the Earth stay healthier. With a whole lot less pollution. Thank you!

– Erisan

Thank you for the backpacks. I really liked the stuff that was in it. My backpack looks great on me. I can’t wait until I go to school. I cant wait when I go to sixth grade and meet my new friends. I bet the other people like their backpacks as well. PS – I bet my backpack is going to have fun in school with me. Thanks a lot!

– Melynna

Thank you for the backpacks. I was so proud of what you gave us. I bet you would be proud, too, when I gave you this note. Thanks to everyone.

– Love, Yani