Jewish Federation Drive Reaches Goal For 7K Backpacks For Needy Students

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Backpack supplies

Ormond Beach, FL-School kids in need in the area went back to school again this year with backpacks and supplies from the Jewish Federation of Volusia and Flagler Countie's annual backpack drive called "Operation Backpack". The groups Executive Director, Gloria Max, sees a little "divine intervention" in how it all came together in the final days to get a sizeable cash match to let the group pay for backpacks and supplies for 7000 students here. Max says foundations came forward in the last days that she "hadn't heard from in years" and says someone from one of those groups saw the appeal on line and offered a $10000 match. Another contact said her daughter ran a group that would match the donation and came through. Max says it was a tough road this year and notes she has been in treatment for cancer. Max says she is "thrilled" about the outcome. The annual drive began over 20 years ago and Max says, to date, it has supplied 95,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to needy area public school students. Max says the children who get the free backpacks are identified by people including school counselors and are elementary, middle and high school. Backpacks contain age appropriate supplies and go to students without regard to their race or religion. The drive raised $137,000 this year alone.

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Above: Volusia County Schools Superintendent Tom Russell, Jewish Federation Executive Director Gloria Max and Jewish Federation co-President Steve Unatin.

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One of the backpacks received by local students.

Photo credits to the Jewish Federation of Volusia and Flagler Counties.

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