We participated in the Bag It Forward program, which provides back-to-school help for kids in need. See what we donated, learn how you can help and enter our Back-to-School Prize Pack Giveaway!
It’s hard to believe, but it’s back to school time again. Today is the day when most Las Vegas kids are heading back to school. By now, most of the parents have already shopped for the long list of school supplies that their kids will need. Unfortunately though, there will be a lot of children that won’t be getting the necessary school supplies they need.
To help kids, we’re proud to be involved with Elmer’s Bag It Forward, a movement that anyone can join to help provide school supplies to children and teachers in local towns. My wife and I both grew up in low income households and sometimes we didn’t have the necessary school supplies. Things like can impact a child’s ability to do their best in school and we jumped at the chance to help.
We went to Walmart to pick out school supplies – you can even see all the photos from our Walmart shopping trip. We decided that even though our money could go further buying the cheapest items, we didn’t want to do that. We decided that we want the school supplies we bought to be cool and fun. We wanted items that represented some of our favorite characters or themes and stuff that our own kids would like. As you can see, we got lots of great stuff: Superman backpack, Cookie Monster backpack, Elmer’s Glue, Crayola Crayons, and more.
We picked out folders that had Avengers and Man of Steel on them. The same thing with notebooks – while we did buy some inexpensive 17 cent notebooks, we also splurged on cool comic book themed notebooks. We even bought pencils that a superhero fan would love – both Superman and Iron Man. We also picked up some My Little Pony and Monsters University pencils.
We know that teachers use sticky notes, so we picked up these comic book style speech bubble notes.
Once we were home, we divided up the supplies. Half was going to be donated to a local Las Vegas kindergarten teacher that we are good friends with and we decided the other half would be a giveaway here on our blog.
Here’s all the items we purchased to give our local teacher:
While we were excited to make our donation, we want to do even more. We invited our family and friends to donate school supplies too. There was no rules or minimum amounts – anything they donated would give them 12 homemade chocolate chip cookies. I thought it was cool to see how generous everyone was after our tasty bribe. In addition to the items in the photo above, we were able to donate even more with the items in the photo below from our family and friends.
We took everything over to the school to donate them. Our kindergarten teacher friend had already explained to my wife about her needs in her classroom, so we already knew our supplies would be a big help. When we arrived to drop off our donations, she gave us a quick tour of her classroom. We chatted with her and learned that last year she spent about $1,000 of her own money towards learning tools, school supplies, and classroom parties. That’s a lot of money.
This year, she’s already spent money on getting her room ready. The school she works at doesn’t get any extra funding at all – it’s bare minimums, so items like the CD player for her listening center in her classroom wasn’t going to happen unless she provided it (and it cost $80).
She was very happy to get our donation. She told us the backpack will come in handy because there is usually a child who is in her class that doesn’t have one and the parents don’t have the ability to provide one. It was extremely gratifying to know that we helped.
It’s cool that this Champions for Kids project doesn’t take a lot of effort. This was our first time participating in a Champions for Kids service projects, but we really liked how easily doable they are and how they can have a huge impact.
While we wanted to help local Las Vegas school children, we also wanted to Bag It Forward to someone else in another town. The best way to do that is through a giveaway, so we are holding a Back-to-School Prize Pack Giveaway with some of the items we purchased. One winner will receive all of the item in the photo below. The winner is free to keep the items if they wish or give them to someone who can use them.
Back-to-School Supplies Prize Pack includes:
- Superman Backpack
- 1 package Superman pencils (4 ct)
- 1 package Iron Man pencils (4 ct)
- 2 boxes Crayola Crayons (24 ct)
- 1 Man of Steel folder
- 1 Avengers folder
- 2 packages Elmer’s Glue Sticks (2 ct)
- PaperMate mechanical pencils
- 2 spiral bound notebooks
- 2 pairs kid scissors
- 1 pad sticky notes
- 1 pencil box
Enter on the Rafflecopter below (sorry, US residents only, see Rafflecopter for additional rules). The required entry is to leave us a comment about your favorite back-to-school supply, but if you want more chances to win, we’ve given you several ways to earn extra entries.
We have a challenge for you. Head on over to Champions for Kids and learn how you can participate in the Back It Forward project. Collect a bag of school supplies and encourage your family and friends to help you. We bet you’ll find it as satisfying as we did.
For more information on Elmer’s, follow them on Facebook and Twitter
Backpack & School Supplies.Thank you 🙂
New pencils! Especially lead pencils. They were always my favorite.
I loved getting new crayons and pencils.
I loved my pencil box so I could organize everything, lol.
My teens favorites are jeans, my grandkids love backpacks and my favorite is hand sanitizer.
my favorites were always new pencils and trapper keepers with Lisa Frank folders
[email protected]
My favorite was (and still is) new notebooks.
I liked binders
I love binders and folders!
A new backpack is my favorite
what a great way to give back… I use to love to get the notebooks
I always loved picking new folders. There were so many cool characters and things!
My favorite item is a backpack!
My favorite is the backpack.
My faves were always the new backpack and pencil box with new pencils.
I always loved getting a new backpack, my new pencils and of course, my new box of colors!
i always loved new notebooks and matching pencils 🙂
I still love fresh, new pencils!
My favorite has always been pencil crayons, I love to use all the different colors!
Today my son found a two pack of Batman pens!
My favorite BTS item has always been Crayola crayons. I just love the possibilities in each new box.
I love the Superman backpack of course for my fav. I love the pencils and notebooks, they are a must have
sibabe64 at ptd dot net
I always love new notebooks.
my fav thing to shop for is the back pack and colorful printed folder and notebooks
you have to have a backpack and there are so many different kinds that you really get to express yourself
I loved to pick out the binders. Match them with folders, and backpacks
I always loved getting a new backpack!
I always love buying the spiral notebooks. I am not sure why-but I love them!!
i always loved getting my new crayons every year
i love all the school supplies. pencil case, new crayons, pencils, markers, trapper keeper binders…
I love getting new backpacks!!
My favorite back to school items were my pencils and pencil case. I would always try to get cute little erasers
I love fun pencils
Love picking out new backpacks
We love to pick out new folders, there are so may cute designs and pictures!
Markers, crayons, pencils…I love school supplies (always have)
I always liked getting a new backpack when I was in school.
My favoriteback to school items were always the clean new notebooks and fresh pencils and pens. Almost like a whole new start.
My favorite back to school item was always MARKERS!!!!!!! I still have a marker obsession! I think your generosity will come back to you tenfold. We try to donate at least one backpack full of supplies every year. We weren’t able to this year as we had grandchildren that really needed our help. This would sure come in handy. Thanks again for all that you do.
i love pencils!
She loved picking out her backpack.
My favorite back to school item was a lunchbox.
I always loved getting new crayons & colored pens.
I always liked crayola crayons
A brand new box of crayons!
the 96 count box of crayons!
Favorite school supply is binders and backpacks!
New box of crayons, I love all the possibilities that it holds
I love helping my girls pick out their book bags. Very nice giveaway! Thank you!
I love all the glue sticks! So necessary! Please bring 12….thanks 😉
I love buying a new lunchbox for school
Favorite back to school item is getting new crayons and markers!
I always loved a brand new 5 subject notebook.
I always loved getting a brand new backpack. It just makes everything feel so new and fresh.
backpacks
New pens. I’ve always loved pens for some reason.
I love new backpacks!
Backpacks and folders
I used to like the patterned folders. I HATE mechanical pencils. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
Five star notebooks & colored Sharpies!
I love nice clean notebooks.
i always love picking out a back pack!
Favorite school supply was a backpack.
I love getting the folders with characters on them.
I love new notebooks because they will be filled with new ideas and sometimes fun drawings and I love writing
My favorite back to school item was always the new backpack. It was just sweet to have something so big and new.
My favorite back to school supply would be the planner, to write down homework assignments.
A new backpack and folders
I always loved getting new colored pencils, markers, and crayons.
I LOVE this idea…this is so great, thank you for doing this!
xo
I think what you guys are doing is great. The school district my son is in is a lower income district, and I know how much stuff their teachers have to buy on their own. During his kindergarten year, his teacher would send home notes asking parents for stickers, snacks, baby wipes….things she needed but the school wouldn’t provide. His school also collects Box Tops for extra income, but its just not enough.
My favorite school supplies are notebooks and pens. I like to write and doodle, and I think I did more of that in school than actual work lol. But decorating new notebooks was always my favorite thing to do.
Awesome- i love five star notebooks!
Way to Go. Raising Young Humanitarians, now that’s what I like to see! Fellow #cbias sista – McKinney Mommas 🙂
I always loved getting new a new backpack at the start of the year. SO cute, love the cookie monster one!!
We volunteer a tutors at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA. These school supplies would be so appreciated by the students
What a great cause! I wish they had this too in my place.
I am joining because I know some kid who could really use this.
My favorite back to school item is the school bag of course because it’s the most important item for a child. It carries all their necessities.
Great example for your kids! Good job 🙂