Project Backpack & Safe Seats for Kids 2014

The Amherst, Pelham and Regional Public Schools in collaboration with community partners: Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, Amherst Club, Amherst College, Amherst Education Foundation, Amherst League of Women Voters, Amherst Lions Club, Amherst Media, Amherst Police Department, Amherst Rotary Club, Art Alive Amherst, Comcast Internet Essentials, DeMaio Orthodontics, Family Outreach of Amherst, Hampshire College, Interfaith Opportunities Network (ION), Jones Library, Know Your Neighbor Coalition, Lexalytics, Inc., Safe Seats of Western Massachusetts/Baystate Children’s Hospital, Soundscape Imaging LLC., State Representative Ellen Story, United Way of Hampshire County and University of Massachusetts Police Department, Youth Action Coalition are proud to announce Project Backpack & Safe Seats for Kids 2014.  

Project Backpack supports income-eligible students in Grades PreK-12 to acquire necessary and grade-appropriate school supplies and is designed around the social justice commitment of the Amherst-Pelham and Regional Public Schools. Project Backpack aspires toward equity of access, inclusion, respect and community-building. New backpacks and school supplies will be accepted from June 1-August 1 and can be dropped off at the locations listed below.  Back packs and supplies will be distributed on August 11-12. The ARPS Family Center staff will oversee the distribution process.

In addition, Safe Seats for Kids is supported by the Amherst Police Department, University of Massachusetts Police Department and Safe Seats of Western Massachusetts/Baystate Children’s Hospital. Officers will distribute and install new infant and toddler car seats on August 11-12. 

“Our goal is to help ease the financial burden the start of the school year can mean for many families,” states Superintendent Maria Geryk.  “Project Backpack is a great success due in part to the generosity of individuals and community partners. In 2013, over 400 backpacks with supplies were distributed. I am deeply grateful for the community’s support of this initiative.”

School Supplies List

Pre-K- 5^th Grade: new backpacks, spiral  notebooks, erasers, 2-pocket folders, glue sticks, markers, crayons, pencils, pens (blue/black/red), colored pencils, pencil sharpeners, pencil cases, bookmarks, rulers

6^th -12^th Grade: new backpacks, assignment pads, notebooks, loose leaf paper, 2-pocket folders, 3-ring binders, 3-ring pencil cases, highlighters, post-it notes, index cards, calculators (basic, scientific, or graphing), flash drives, pens (blue/black/red), pencils, combination locks for lockers

Drop Off Locations

ARPS Family Center     170 Chestnut St.                         DeMaio Orthodontics        23 Pray St.

Jones Library                 43 Amity St.                               Art Alive Amherst    35 S. Pleasant St.

The mission of the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools is to provide all students with a high quality education that enables them to be contributing members of a multiethnic, multicultural, pluralistic society. We seek to create an environment that achieves equity for all students and ensures that each student is a successful learner, is fully respected, and learns to respect others.