Backpack project is succeeding

Maryanne Fallman fills backpacks. Submitted

With the generous support of our community, we have been able to provide 48 backpacks to children of all ages who have been detained due to abuse or neglect. The supplies are available to local social workers at the Department of Health and Social Services who work tirelessly at all hours to protect our at-risk youth.

This success would not have been possible without a collaboration of multiple agencies, organizations and individuals as well as donations throughout Del Norte County.

They include a most generous mini-grant from First Five, books from First Five, courtesy of First Five and Patti Vernelsen, books from Del Norte Child Care Council, toothbrush kits from Del Norte Wellness Center and Hilda Yepes-Contreras, pillowcases and quilts from Lighthouse Quilt Guild and Barbara Porter, blankets made by Girl Scout Troup #12, Del Norte 4-H sewing group, and Carolyn Gavin, flipflops from Walmart, monetary support by Vicky Stamps and the Ladies Auxiliary at the New Life Community Church. They also include Foster Youth Bill of Rights packets from the Foster Youth Ombudsman, which are inserted into each backpack along with information about First Five, which is inserted into backpacks for the little ones.

In addition to the backpacks, due to generous financial support, I have been able to stock the supply room with sweatsuits, sleepers, socks, underwear, hygiene kits and most recently, diaper bags for the babies.

This has been such an exciting year and the feedback from children who receive backpacks and their social workers has been extremely positive. It is so wonderful to be able to provide these children who have such a great need at a time when they are experiencing trauma and loss. I’m so grateful that these kids will receive a backpack that is theirs to keep with special items just for them to take wherever they go.

Being able to give a child some sense of dignity and to bring a smile to the face of one of these little ones is priceless and I hope to keep this project alive for as long as the need is here in our community.

Many thanks again to all of you who have participated in this collaboration; you have helped make this vision a reality!

Maryanne Fallman is chairwoman of the My Backpack Project of CASA of Del Norte.