Carl Edwards, director of development and ministries with CrossNet Ministries, and Corrine Horning, the new community events and outreach manager for the ministry, are working together on the annual school supply giveaway program they call 2024 Backpack Program.

This year's event will be held at the CrossNet Ministries Youth Center, 110 W. Franklin St., New Holland, on Tuesday, Aug. 13, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Backpacks filled with school supplies will be available for all ELANCO School District students entering kindergarten through grade 12 who are participating in free and reduced-cost lunch programs. Proof of residency in the school district, such as an electric or phone bill, will be necessary to receive a free backpack.

To gather the necessary items for the program, up to 15 donation bins are distributed regularly throughout the community. This year, those bins were delivered to churches, businesses, and various other local organizations on June 28. According to Edwards, CrossNet representatives are in continued conversation with teachers to learn about "tangible actual needs that students have" so that the organization can collect the necessary items to meet those. Requested items are new, sturdy backpacks for students of all ages, along with pens, spiral tablets, pocket folders, rulers, notebook paper, three-ring binders, highlighters, water-based markers, safety scissors, crayons, mechanical pencils, colored pencils, pencil cases, pencil sharpeners, index cards, glue sticks, erasers, and small tissue packets. Edwards noted there is a special need for certain items such as earbuds, and, for upper grades, scientific calculators. Financial donations will also be accepted. For those who prefer to shop online for backpacks, an Amazon wish list is available at https://tinyurl.com/ancnwdrb.

In addition to backpacks, other resources will be available such as free haircuts on a first-come, first-served basis and information from an ELANCO School District representative, CrossNet Ministries, and New Holland Early Learning Center. Free food items, which will be provided while supplies last, will include hot dogs, snacks, beverages, and ice cream.

Volunteers are needed to take part preparing for the event and distributing materials on Aug. 13. Individuals interested in volunteering may visit http://www.elancocross.org and look under "News and Stories" for "2024 Backpack Program."

Horning reported that in 2023, more than 680 backpacks were given away. Edwards would like to have 750 full backpacks for the 2024-25 school year. Any leftover backpacks will be given away through churches and the school district on an as-needed basis.