Berrien Community Foundation to Provide Over 2,700 Backpacks to Students

Berrien Community Foundation to Provide More Than 2,700 Backpacks to Students Across Berrien County

     Berrien Community Foundation is helping more than 2,700 Berrien County students kick off the school year with a new backpack and school supplies through its annual Backpacks For Good program. Through four community backpack events, students will head back to class ready to learn while families connect with local resources and support.

     With generous support from Whirlpool Foundation, Berrien Community Foundation (BCF) invites Benton Harbor-area families to join the fun at Backpacks For Good August 4 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park in downtown Benton Harbor. Families with K-12 students who live within the 49022 ZIP Code — regardless of the school they attend — may receive backpacks and learn more about resources and opportunities available in their community. Backpacks For Good will take place during National Night Out.

Additional events include:

• Eau Claire Public Schools: Thursday, July 30, 2026, from 5-7 p.m. in the Eau Claire Middle School/High School parking lot. This event is open to students attending Eau Claire Public Schools, regardless of the ZIP Code in which they live.
• Brandywine and Niles schools: Thursday, August 6, 2026, 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.
• Coloma, Watervliet and Hagar #6 schools: Thursday, August 13, 2026, 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.

     No registration is required.

     "Between sports gear, school supplies and the mystery of how kids grow two sizes every summer, back-to-school costs can add up fast," said BCF President Lisa Cripps-Downey. "By providing backpacks full of school supplies, we can help families focus less on the price tag and more on helping their child walk into the classroom confident, prepared and ready for a great year.”

As the event’s presenting sponsor, Whirlpool Foundation is providing financial support and mobilizing employees to volunteer by packing backpacks and assisting families during the event.

“The Backpacks For Good project offers a meaningful volunteer opportunity for our employees, allowing them to support youth in our local communities,” said Traci Robinson, Whirlpool Foundation’s senior manager, community relations and managing director. “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.’”

For more information or to donate, visit www.berriencommunity.org/BackpacksForGood.

Berrien Community Foundation is a center of philanthropy in Berrien County with over $120 million in assets. The Foundation works with donors to help them achieve their charitable giving goals and create their individual charitable legacies through current and life-end giving and estate planning. BCF also provides grants for programs and projects addressing critical, ever-changing community needs and a robust scholarship program for Berrien County students. For information about BCF, call (269) 983-3304 or visit www.berriencommunity.org.