REGION — United Way of the Tri-Valley Area has brought back Packs for Progress for an eleventh year. For more than a decade, UWTVA has been making sure underprivileged youth are fully prepared for the school season with the Packs for Progress program.

Applications for a backpack can be made at the United Way website at www.uwtva.org/what-we-do/projects/packs-for-progress. In order to be eligible for the program, applicants must meet the following criteria.

• Family lives in greater Franklin County and/or attends RSU 9, RSU 73, MSAD 58, Rangeley schools, Stratton school, or home-school.

• Entering grades Pre-K through 12.

• Fall within the 2022 Federal Poverty Guidelines [$19,720 household of 2, $24,860 household of 3, etc.]. According to UWTVA’s website, exceptions may be made for families experiencing extenuating circumstances.

For applicants that are without a computer or internet access, UWTVA will also accept phone applications. Simply call [207] 778-5048 to have your application filled out over the phone. Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, Aug. 9.

Official sponsors of the backpack program include Bangor Savings Bank, The Dugout Bar and Grill, Skowhegan Savings Bank, Poland Spring, and Hilltop Collision Center, as well as the Farmington Rotary club. LL Bean is also a sponsor and has donated 75 new backpacks for distribution.

UWTVA is also accepting donations and supplies for this program. Anyone interested in donating money or supplies may contact Director of Community Engagement Chelsea Whittier at [207] 778-5048 x4 or email her at cwhittier@uwtva.org.

Items that are acceptable for donation include big pink erasers, pencil top erasers, folders, pens, markers, colored pencils, crayons, spiral notebooks, lined 3-hole punched paper, pocket tissues, rulers, three-ring binders, individual sized hand sanitizer, composition notebooks, and, of course, backpacks. Cash donations are also accepted.

Started in 2012, Packs for Progress has seen steady growth. According to an interview with former UWTVA Director Lisa Laflin, 72 backpacks were given out in 2012. Three years later in 2015, that number had grown to 475 backpacks. By 2019, over 600 backpacks had been distributed to families in need.

According to Kendra Baker, the current executive director, just under 600 backpacks were given out in 2022.

“There are many families making difficult choices, like paying for rent, food, fuel or medications. School supplies are often last on the list of priorities,” Laflin said in a 2013 interview when the backpack program was still growing. She recounted one mother from the year prior who was ecstatic over being able to have money for food as opposed to school supplies.

The stress of making sure your child is ready for the school year is in full effect for many parents, even though they are still a ways away from the school year beginning. Last year in an article from USA Today, a survey showed that 36% of parents were able to afford their back to school supplies for their kids, which was a significant drop from the previous year [52%].

The survey was conducted in May and June of 2022 and consisted of approximately 2,178 U.S. parents of school-aged children. The results, which were published on Morning Consult, also showed 37% of parents were stressed about back-to-school shopping for the 2022-2023 school year.

With the trend of inflation not stopping, programs like Packs for Progress are steadily becoming more critical for families to ensure their child is fully prepared for the school year.

UWTVA will have two pick up locations for backpacks, and the locations, dates and times are as follows:

• West Farmington Grange Hall, located at 4 Bridge St. in West Farmington; Wednesday, Aug. 16, and Thursday Aug. 17, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Spruce Mountain Adult Education, located at 9 Cedar St. in Livermore Falls; Monday, Aug. 21, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, please visit the website at www.uwtva.org or call [207] 778-5048.

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