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.

2023 Backpack Program:

Our 2023 Backpacks for Back to School program will be hosted at the Elm Street Middle School this year.

Donating Backpacks and Supplies:

We will be accepting donations (please see list below) at our 2 Quincy Street location on Monday, July 31 through Friday, August 4th. 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:

  • Please sign up to volunteer at our online volunteer link using the Sign Up! button below.
  • After you have signed up, please sign in.
  • Under Events you can select Programs from the menu and the calendar will show you all of our Backpack opportunities.
  • Click on the red lettered opportunities for more information and to sign up for the days and times you’d like to help. If you prefer an all day shift, please sign up for the first and second shift for that day.

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 2023;
  • or their Immunization record;
  • or a document or letter stating their bus route confirmed for September 2023;
  • or a document or letter from the school that shows they are enrolled for September 2023.

Backpack Distribution

Distribution Day is Tuesday, August 22 from 9AM – 1PM. Our Backpack program is being hosted at the Elm Street Middle School. The entrance is located at the corner of Lake Street and Chestnut Street, after the grassy area. Look for the large white cement awning with the multiple door entrance.

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