Backpacks for Kiddos, a project that I started last spring, is an initiative to give children in foster care the supplies that they are often lacking. Children in foster care are usually left without a backpack to carry their belongings in, further dehumanizing them past their already traumatized state. Last spring, 168 backpacks were filled with supplies like notebooks, pencils, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair ties, hair brushes, and stuffed animals. I received the funding through the Share My Fortune Foundation and the Harry Messec fund, totaling about $2000. This project single-handedly affected 7.2% of all New Mexican children in foster care.
This year, I am doing this project again, but on an even bigger scale. I am hosting a 5k fundraising event on November 16th, 2024, to raise money and awareness for the cause. The hope is to raise even more money than was used on the project last year in order to affect more kids. This fundraiser, the B.F.K. 5K, is a fun run that all students, families, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in. The event itself is a free admission, and the first 100 people to register receive a free t-shirt. When attending the event, you can donate what you’d like to the cause. Also, at the event, the first 10 people to finish the 5k will receive a gift card, and the entire event will receive free coffee sponsored by Starbucks. If you want to register for the event, please fill out the RSVP information on this SignUp Genius.
Additionally, if you want to help with the event and be a volunteer, fill out this Google form.
