Backpack drive helping underprivileged students in Carson City

The Salvation Army is collecting backpacks and other school supplies through Aug. 17 for disadvantaged children in Carson City, Douglas and Lyon counties.

The charitable organization has been getting calls from families in need for several weeks asking for help. Many of the parents are worried their kids won’t have what they need for school.

“Starting school off with the proper gear is important for a child’s wellbeing,” said Captain Mark Cyr, officer in charge of the local Salvation Army. “I can remember when I was a kid and feeling out of place when all the other kids had new backpacks and supplies and the teacher would have to supplement what I had. It made me feel like the other kids were better than me and, I believe, affected my school performance.”

The Salvation Army will have a distribution of the backpacks and a large portion of the backpacks collected will be given directly to the school districts for distribution to children in transition.

“We are collecting boxes of cereal this year to help supplement the backpacks as an addition to helping the kids get a good breakfast their first week of school,” Cyr said.

This is the Army’s third year doing an Apple Tree backpack and school supply drive. Similar to The Salvation Army’s Christmas Angel Tree program, the Apple Tree program offers paper apples baring a child’s name and their wish list so donors have help when they shop. These Apple trees can be found at any of the local businesses listed below.

Items sought include: backpacks, pencils, pens, scissors, pencil sharpeners, pencil pouches, paper, notebooks, composite books, glues sticks, crayons, markers and highlighters as well as boxes of healthy cereal.

Supplies can be dropped off at The Salvation Army, 661 Colorado St., Carson City, 89701 before Aug. 17, or at of the following Carson City locations: Aaron’s Furniture, 3355 S. Carson St.; Advanced Home Health, 343 Fairview Drive, Suite 106; American Family Insurance, 808 College Parkway, Suite 106; Anytime Fitness, 2629 N. Carson St. and 4530 S. Carson St.; Carson Aquatic Facility, 841 N. Roop St.; Carson City Library, 900 N. Roop St.; Carson City Parks and Recreation, 851 E. William St.; Calvary Chapel, 1635 Clearview Drive; Capital Ford, 3660 S. Carson St.; Carson Lanes, 3550 S. Carson St.; Ed’s Dog House, 3300 Airport Road; Edward Jones, 604 W. Washington St., Suite F; Gaming Control Board, 1919 College Parkway; Grandma Hattie’s, 2811 S. Carson St.; Hyundai, 3550 S. Carson St.; JC Penney, 3939 S. Carson St.; Johnny Rockets, 3550 S. Carson St.; Les Schwab, 3219 N. Carson St. and 3020 S. Carson St.; Sierra Adrenaline, 4630 E. Williams St.; Sportsman’s Warehouse, 1443 S. Carson St.; Tumbleweeds Gymnastics, 3633 Research Way.

Douglas County locations include: A La Carte Salon, 1456 U.S. Highway 395 N., Suite A, Gardnerville (after Aug. 1); Douglas County Public Library, 1625 Library Lane, Minden; Carson Valley Swim Center, 1600 Highway 88, Minden; Family Support Council, 1255 Waterloo Lane, Suite A, Gardnerville; Flight Restaurant, 2244 Meridian Blvd., Minden; Frontier Communications, 1520 Church St., Gardnerville; Les Schwab, 1151 Highway 395 N., Gardnerville; Rite Aid, 1329 Highway 395 N., Suite 1, Gardnerville; Smith’s, 1341 Highway 395 N., Gardnerville; Tumbleweeds Gymnastics, 2231 Meridian Blvd., Suite 2, Minden.

If you would like to help with an Apple Tree Back Pack Drive at your business, restaurant or church or would like to volunteer to help with the Back Pack Drive, contact Christie Contreras at 775-887-9120, ext 101.

More locations will be added to The Salvation Army’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/carsoncitysalarmy as they become available.