Berrien Community Foundation Hosts “Backpacks For Good”
Berrien Community Foundation Hosts “Backpacks For Good”
Backpacks full of school supplies to be given to students who live in the 49022 ZIP Code, regardless of the school they attend.
Berrien Community Foundation (BCF) is helping students get ready to learn this fall by providing 1,100 backpacks filled with school supplies to students living in the 49022 ZIP Code.
BCF will host Backpacks For Good, a school readiness event, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5 at Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park in downtown Benton Harbor. The event is open to students who live in the 49022 ZIP Code, regardless of the school they attend. Backpacks For Good is being held in conjunction with the communitywide event, National Night Out.
“Backpacks For Good isn’t just about school supplies – it’s about lifting a weight off of parents’ shoulders and making sure every child starts the school year ready to succeed,” said Lisa Cripps-Downey, president of Berrien Community Foundation. “By providing essential supplies, food for families and community resources, we’re helping families focus less on cost and more on what truly matters – their child’s education and confidence.”
Backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies will be available for students enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade.
Whirlpool Corporation sponsored part of the event and rallied a large number of employees to help behind the scenes with packing backpacks.
“The Backpacks for Good project offers a meaningful volunteer opportunity for our employees, allowing them to support youth in our local communities,” stated Traci Robinson, senior manager, community relations, and managing director of the Whirlpool Foundation. “By helping young people in this community prepare for school and fostering their excitement for learning, we are investing in their educational future. This project supports Whirlpool Corporation’s vision of ‘Improving Life at Home.’”
In addition to the backpacks and school supplies, there will be farm-fresh vegetables and other food items available.
Families of students who live in the 49022 ZIP Code, regardless of what school they attend, are encouraged to bring their students so they can choose the color and visit with representatives of community organizations as well.
No registration is required.
Backpacks For Good events
The August 5 event in Benton Harbor is one of three Berrien Community Foundation Backpacks For Good events this year:
- Students who live in the 49022 ZIP Code: Tuesday, August 5, 2025, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park. This event is in partnership with National Night Out and is open to students who live in the 49022 ZIP Code, regardless of the school they attend.
- Students attending Brandywine or Niles Schools: Thursday, August 7, 2025, from 4 – 6 p.m. in the Niles High School parking lot. This event is open to students attending Brandywine Community Schools or Niles Community Schools, regardless of the ZIP Code in which they live.
- Students attending Coloma, Watervliet or Hagar #6 Schools: Thursday, August 14, 2025, from 4 – 6 p.m. in the Coloma Junior High School parking lot. This event is open to students attending Watervliet Public Schools, Coloma Community Schools or Riverside Hagar #6 School, regardless of the ZIP Code in which they live.
For more information, visit www.berriencommunity.org/backpacksforgood.
Berrien Community Foundation is a center of philanthropy in Berrien County holding endowment and other funds to support programs and projects throughout Berrien County. These community foundation funds support the ever-changing needs of Berrien County now and into the future. The foundation provides grants and scholarships plus opportunities for individuals across the county to fulfill charitable intentions through life-end giving and estate planning. For information about BCF call (269) 983-3304 or visit www.berriencommunity.org.
