An annual backpack and school supply giveaway event will return to Covington on Saturday, Aug. 10, this time at a new location and a new format.
The Backpacks Bonanza, formerly called Backpacks and Breakfast, will take place at the Covington location of St. Elizabeth Medical Center on James Simpson Jr. Way on Aug. 10 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. The backpacks will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis. This format differs from the format of the event during the pandemic, which required people to register in advance or rely upon a lottery.
“Northern Kentucky Harvest, which sponsors the event, will have at least 1,100 backpacks filled with new, grade-appropriate school supplies to give away to Northern Kentucky students from low-income families,” reads an announcement from the event’s organizers.
About 800 backpacks will be given out during the event to students from pre-school to 12th grade. The remainder will be shared with community partners, including the Esperanza Latino Center, the ION Center and Welcome House, all in Covington, and Catholic Charities in Elsmere, for those organizations to distribute to students from low-income families.
“We know the need for this project remains great because of the number of families that have sought our help in the past several years,” said Paul Gottbrath, president of Northern Kentucky Harvest. “We’re responding with what could be our biggest give-away ever.”
The event has given away more than 17,000 backpacks since its inception in 2001.
Parents must bring photo IDs of themselves, proof of residence in NKY and proof the children live with them (such as a social security card or a medical card) in order to receive a backpack and supplies.