Backpacks for Back to School

Helping K-12 Students in Nashua

New Backpacks for Client Families

Our program collects new backpacks and school supplies for families trying to live on minimum wage, staying at our shelters, or coming to the soup kitchen for food. The NSKS staff works diligently with our client families to provide children in Kindergarten through 12th Grade with a new backpack filled with new, grade-appropriate supplies.

New Backpacks for Client Families

Our program collects new backpacks and school supplies for families trying to live on minimum wage, staying at our shelters, or coming to the soup kitchen for food. The NSKS staff works diligently with our client families to provide children in Kindergarten through 12th Grade with a new backpack filled with new, grade-appropriate supplies.

2024 Backpack Program:

The NSKS Backpacks for Back-to-School program was started in 1995 to provide new backpacks and school supplies for children from low-income families. We work closely with area schools to ensure that the backpacks are age-appropriate and include all the supplies needed to enable students to return to school equal to their peers.

This project is made possible by in-kind donations of backpacks and supplies, as well as monetary donations from individuals, area businesses, faith-based organizations, and civic groups. The volunteer opportunities allow community members to get involved by helping pack the backpacks and assist families to get their backpacks on Distribution Day. Our goal this year is to have 1,600 new backpacks, filled with new age-appropriate supplies, packed and ready for Distribution Day.

Our Backpacks for Back to School Program will be hosted at the Mount Pleasant Elementary School, 10 Manchester Street, Nashua.

Donating Backpacks and Supplies:

We will be accepting donations (please see list below) at our 2 Quincy Street location on Monday, July 29 through Friday, August 2nd. If you are bringing a large donation over, please email us at carol@nsks.org or june@nsks.org so we can discuss logistics or if another time and delivering directly to our host site will be a better fit.

Volunteer Opportunities
For Packing Supplies and Distribution Day:

Volunteer opportunities for packing backpacks are available during the week of August 5th and August 12th. Distribution Day opportunities are on Tuesday, August 20th.

Our Backpacks for Back to School program is being hosted at Mount Pleasant Elementary School, 10 Manchester St., Nashua. Packing will take place in the gymnasium.

If you are not already a volunteer at NSKS, please sign up as one first. Then select and sign up for the shift you are interested in.

If You Want a Backpack For Your Child:

If you are a client who receives services from our Food Pantry, your client number will be all that is needed to register on Distribution Day.

If you do not receive services from our Food Pantry, but due to financial hardship you are not able to provide school supplies for your child, you will need to bring the following documentation to our Distribution Day:

  1. Your Utility bill (electric bill, gas bill, or phone bill) within the past 60 days
  2. Your current lease showing you are residing in the Greater Nashua area
    (Manchester, NH and outside of New Hampshire do not qualify for this program)
  3. Your valid NH Driver’s License with your current address that matches your lease and bill
  4. Documentation for each child entering kindergarten through grade 12 that you are requesting a backpack for

Please bring ONE of the following:

  • Each child’s report card from June 2024;
  • or their Immunization record;
  • or a document or letter stating their bus route confirmed for September 2024;
  • or a document or letter from the school that shows they are enrolled for September 2024.

Backpack Distribution

Date of Distribution: Tuesday, August 20th
Time: 9:00AM – 2:00PM
Location: Mount Pleasant Elementary School, 10 Manchester Street, Nashua

  • Please enter through the FRONT DOORS on Manchester Street.
  • If you are not a client who receives services from our Food Pantry, please bring the required documentation listed in the previous paragraph.
  • We encourage you to bring your child/children with you so they can pick out their own backpack.

Accepted School Supplies Include:

  • New Backpacks for Boys and Girls Grades Kindergarten – 12th
  • 2 inch 3-Ring Binders – required in High School
  • Loose Leaf Filler Paper
  • Tabbed Dividers
  • Spiral Notebooks
  •  

  • #2 Pencils
  • Hand-held Pencil Sharpeners
  • Separate Erasers
  • Pens
  • 12 inch Rulers
  • Protractor or Multi-piece Drafting Package
  •  

  • Bottled Glue
  • Glue Sticks
  • Scotch Tape
  • Staplers- Mini or Desk Size
  • Student Scissors
  • Safety Scissors for Younger Students
  •  

  • Dry-Erase Markers For All Grades (when called up to the board)
  • Crayons – Boxes of 24
  • Colored Pencils – Bright or Bold
  • Washable Colored Markers
  • Pencil Boxes or Pouches for Elementary School Children
  • Lunch Boxes and Snack Bags for Elementary School Children
  •  

  • Calculators For High School Students
  • Dictionary (one per family)
  • Index Cards
  • 8GB (or Larger) Flash Drives for High School Students