EMU Project Backpack

October 6, 2005

To each of you who has taken up the gauntlet of compassion and caring on behalf of the Louisiana People of the Storm, please accept EMU College of Education's heartfelt appreciation. Your willingness to join us in this endeavor created a dynamic collaborative partnership that in such a short time reached from San Diego, California to Long Island, New York. Faith-based organizations, schools, local businesses, EMU faculty, staff, and students, as well as individuals from various communities shared in our vision and banded together to lift up our brothers and sisters in the South.

Our Project Backpack will make its final delivery to New Orleans October 11, 2005. Corrigan Moving Systems' truck was loaded on October 6 at the EMU College of Education, with 3000+ backpacks, over 150 boxes of school supplies and other donated items you made possible, some of which was purchased using proceeds from the over $6000 cash donations we received.

Our formal project is now concluded (archival information remains online below). Other donations or collections that you may be making will be coupled with other local service organizations that will distribute them. The spirit of advocacy and agency were never more clearly witnessed than through your work in this project.

To each of you, thank you.

Strength and honor...

Pat Williams-Boyd

> > > > > THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS ARCHIVED ... > > > > >

Many of the young survivors of Hurricane Katrina are facing a host of problems, including a lack of school supplies. To help these youngsters, the faculty, staff and students from Eastern Michigan University’s College of Education have initiated “Project Backpack,” a campus-wide effort, which will provide effected children in the Gulf area with needed school supplies. Donations are being coordinated with Duvall Arthur, Director of Gulf Coast Homeland Security, in St. Mary’s Parish, Louisiana.

We invite your participation. Please purchase whatever items you would like from the lists below, and bring your donation to one of the collection sites prior to Sept. 30, 2005.

Collection dates: September 12-30, 2005

Collection sites (look for collection boxes and/or signs):

EMU's Porter College of Education Building - Room 313 and other locations
EMU residence halls
Regional EMU campuses

Delivery dates: First shipment to the Gulf Coast leaves EMU Sept. 16, second shipment departs approximately Sept. 30, or early October.

Monetary Donations: To donate money toward the Project Backpack effort, please make checks out to the EMU Foundation, c/o Project Backpack, 1349 S. Huron, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, or deliver them to 313 Porter Building.

Early childhood school supplies needed

markers
crayons
pipe cleaners
small packages of Legos
tablets of blank paper
unigender underwear, socks
small stuffed toy
play-dough
sidewalk chalk
magnets
children's books
small balls
safety scissors
backpacks

Elementary school supplies needed

pencils
glue
Kleenex
chalk
Post-It notes
notebooks/binders
colored pencils
tablets of paper
calculators
stuffed animals
safety scissors
paper
crayons
markers
children's books
folders
staplers/staples
coloring books
computers (new)
construction paper
small toys
backpacks

Secondary school supplies needed

pens
glue sticks
tablets of paper
notebook paper
journals
file folders
colored pencils
construction paper
compasses, protractors
books (other than textbooks)
pencils
calculators
notebooks
binders
markers
Post-It notes
scissors
graphing paper
computers (new)
backpacks

Teacher school supplies needed

pencils
glue
staplers/staples
markers
plastic crates
chalk and erasers
gradebooks
overhead projectors
transparencies
bulletin boards
folders
paper
paperclips
white boards
easels
hanging files
portable blackboards
plan books
laptop computers (new)
computer paper
push pins
Post-It notes (small and large)

Sponsored by:

EMU College of Education
EMU Continuing Education
Corrigan Moving Systems

Questions? Call 734 . 487 . 7120, extension 2509; or 734 . 417 . 9947
e-mail projectbackpack@emich.edu