Elizabeth’s Backpack Drive For The Kids

I wanted to share my daughters story with everyone as it has truly touched my heart as a mother. My 11 year old daughter Elizabeth Wood is a 6th grader at Brownstown Middle School in Brownstown, MI. (Woodhaven/Brownstown public schools). They were recently introduced to the G.R.E.A.T Program and challenged to do something good for their community; volunteer work preferably. A lot of the young minds decided to do things such as tidy up a local park or give a helping hand at the local food bank these are all are all great ideas nonetheless. My daughters idea was also truly from the heart and in a slightly different direction though and something she is very passionate about. She really wants to excel academically and knows in order to do that you need the proper tools, supplies and confidence. Although close to the end of the school year she knows a lot of children in DPS suffer when it comes to having access to those supplies and confidence and that’s when Elizabeth’s backpack drive for the kids started. She took some of her own money, what she received from a couple family members and what she was able to gather from a couple local businesses and bought brand new supplies and backpacks for the kids. Each backpack will come loaded with things such as markers, crayons, scissors, glue, colored pencils, construction paper, an assortment of notebooks and folders, pencils and many other small things such as fruit smelling markers, pens and erasers which every kid loves! At the moment she has completely filled 35 backpacks but wants to do more! Her ultimate goal is 100 backpacks completed with everything kids need for school and also over the summer. Not only does she see the need for basic supplies, she knows reading is fundamental for academic growth as well and alongside her backpack drive has started a book drive for the classrooms and libraries. She has purchased or received around 50 new books ranging from beginner reading level to chapter books for the older children. She has reached out and sent letters to a few people who could possibly help make a difference if her story reaches them, such as Ellen DeGeneres, Michelle Obama and has plans to write scholastic as well to see if they can help with her book drive. She has a good, honest heart and because of that last year in 5th grade she was the Kawanis Youth Citizen award recipient, which is selected by teachers and staff. On top of that she was voted in by fellow peers for Lieutenant of the safety squad. I would also like to add in the 4th grade she decided to pass on trick or treating, bought Apple Cider and Donuts with her own money, made posters and while passing out candy she sold Cider and donuts in order to raise money for our local shelter. All in all she raised well over $300 and couldn’t have been prouder when she carried those bags of food, toys and treats into the shelter. I just wanted to share a little about her character with you to show you exactly how pure and genuine she truly is. She wanted me to start a Champaign because she knows it only takes one person to make a difference and change but she also knows she needs to get her story out in order to receive donations or help to continue Lizs backpack Drive For The Kids. We have already been in contact with the director of the Department of Developing a partnership through Detroit Public Schools to find out which school/schools need the backpacks and books the most. Alongside her Backpack and Book drive any and all leftover donations and funding will go directly to the school to buy textbooks for the classes as many of the students are sharing them. 
Thank you so much for taking the time to read her story and anything even as small as $3 could make a huge difference in the life of a child. God Bless!