More than 550 students were set for their first day back at school after another successful Back2School Backpack Giveaway.
Sam Ichtay along with many community volunteers gathered at the MacKenzie Centre on August 27 to present local students with brand new backpacks filled with school supplies for the coming year. The annual event organized by Ichtay was another success, he says.
For him, the goal of the backpack giveaway is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to go to school equipped with school supplies, regardless of their socio-economic situation.
Over the years that the event has been happening, he says some people have questioned why he doesn’t ask for any kind of referral or proof that a family needs the support. However, he says he doesn’t want anyone to feel ashamed or embarrassed to come forward. If he focused only on those families that absolutely needed the backpack, then that would single out those who came to get one.
He also believes that a family may appear to be doing well but actually be struggling, especially with the higher cost of living many Canadians are facing.
“There is no judgement here,” says Ichtay. “If you ask for help, you ask for a backpack [we’re going to help]. I don’t know what anybody’s situation is.”
Another important part of the giveaway, says Ichtay, is the back to school celebration for the students. He says they had prizes, food, tattoos and face painting to get the students excited about their first day of school.
“We gave out 27 prizes for all of the kiddos that came out,” he says.
This year, the supplies for all of the backpacks totalled more than $60,000, says Ichtay.
“I’ve never seen it this tough,” he says. “I don’t know if it’s tariffs. I’m not sure.”
Ichtay says he always tries to get a discount where he can to make the donated funds stretch as far as possible. Even with those efforts, each backpack, without any supplies, cost roughly $35. Each backpack was also filled with basic school supplies.
“We couldn’t get the supplies [some of them] were asking for, so we hooked them up with a Walmart gift card so they can get that kind of stuff,” he says.
The Kickstand Youth Hub and the Roots of Resilience Charter School also stopped in to grab backpacks for the children and youth they work with.
Ichtay says he’s grateful for those businesses and residents who have donated funds, backpacks, or times to make the event happen because it’s such a big undertaking. Though this year’s event has just wrapped up, Ichtay is already planning for next year’s giveaway, which will be taking place on August 26, 2026.
