Help Send Kids Back to School Prepared: Backpack Drive Starts Sunday

Jun 26, 2024

Summer is heating up, and while many are still in vacation mode, The Salvation Army 7 Can Help Kids Back to School Backpack Program starts this Sunday (June 30).

Since its inception in 1998, this program has focused on giving children in need the tools to succeed for a brighter future.  It is successful because of the community’s involvement year after year:  more than 240,000 backpacks have been given away over the life of the program.

Those wanting to donate can drop off new school supplies from June 30 through August 4 at select Methodist Health System locations, Metro Credit Union locations, Cubby’s Convenience Stores, and Salvation Army locations.

Shawn Oswald, president and general manager of KETV, said the station has partnered with The Salvation Army for the backpack program’s entire 25-year tenure due to the mission of the organization.

“One of the biggest reasons we partner with The Salvation Army was because we know what they do is going to be felt locally,” Oswald said.  “When you see a child get a backpack that is theirs, that is full of the things they’re going to need for the school year, and it has Spiderman, or a Barbie, or some sort of theme on the backpack that is exactly what they are looking for, they light up.”

A list of supplies and drop-off locations is below.  Those who don’t want to shop for supplies can still be a part of this important program by making a monetary donation at salarmybacktoschool.org

School supplies needed:

• Backpacks
• Rulers
• Spiral notebooks
• Erasers
• Glue
• Crayons
• Colored pencils
• Theme paper
• 2-pocket folders
• Pens
• Pencils
• Reusable water bottles
• Hand sanitizer
• Tissues

Donate supplies at:

Participating Methodist Urgent Care Locations

• Methodist Urgent Care – Aksarben Village
  • 6700 Mercy Road, Suite 109
    Omaha, NE 68106
    • M-F, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
    • Weekends, noon-6 p.m.
• Methodist Urgent Care—Downtown Omaha
  • 312 S. 15th St.
  • Omaha , NE 68102
    • M-F, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
    • Weekends, noon-6 p.m.
• Methodist Urgent Care – Elkhorn
  • 20021 Manderson St.
    Omaha, NE 68022
    • M-F, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
    • Weekends, noon-6 p.m.
• Methodist Urgent Care – Fremont
  • 1240 E. 23rd St.
    Fremont, NE 68025
• • • M-F, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
    • Weekends, noon-6 p.m.
• Methodist Urgent Care – Gretna
  • 11946 Standing Stone Drive
    Gretna, NE 68028
    • M-F, 6-10 p.m.
    • Weekends, noon-6 p.m.
• Methodist Urgent Care – Council Bluffs in Jennie Edmundson Medical Plaza
  • 808 E. Pierce St.
    Council Bluffs, IA 51503
    • M-F, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
    • Weekends, noon-6 p.m.
• Methodist Urgent Care – Millard
  • 5908 S. 142nd St.
    Omaha, NE 68137
    • M-F, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
    • Weekends, noon-6 p.m.
• Methodist Urgent Care – Papillion
  • 101 E. Centennial Road
  • Papillion, NE 68046
    • M-F, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
    • Weekends, noon-6 p.m.

Participating Metro Credit Union Locations

• 14509 F St. Omaha, NE
• 11102 Emmet St. Omaha, NE
• 4444 Ames Ave. Omaha, NE
• 5025 L St. Omaha, NE
• 940 N. 204th Ave. Ste. 270 Elkhorn, NE

Participating Cubby’s Convenience Stores

• 601 S. 13th St. Omaha, NE
• 4232 Redman Ave. Omaha, NE
• 9220 Mormon Bridge Plz. Omaha, NE
• 7613 S. 36th St. Bellevue, NE
• 15625 CW Hadan Dr. Bennington, NE
• 209 W. 23rd St. Fremont, NE
• 450 S. Broad St. Fremont, NE
• 1458 Washington St. Blair, NE
• 13821 Guildford St. Ste. B Waverly, NE
• 546 County Rd. M Yutan, NE
• 13504 238th St. Greenwood, NE

These Salvation Army Locations

• Western Divisional Headquarters - 10755 Burt St. Omaha, NE
• Kroc Center - 2825 Y St. Omaha, NE
• Citadel Corps - 3738 Cuming St. Omaha, NE

Council Bluffs Distribution

Pre-registration required.  Distribution is set for August 17^th.  Registration will be available on the Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus Facebook Page. Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus - Home | Facebook

Omaha Distribution

Friday, August 9 – Saturday, August 10.  Check back for more information.