2025 Back-To-School Drive
Why School Supplies?
At Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, we strive to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
School supplies ensures that all kids have the same opportunities to start the school year off right, and profoundly impacts youth and their learning experience.
With your help, we can ensure that each of our Club members has the supplies they need to be prepared and successful in the school year ahead. Our goal is to collect backpacks and school supplies for 2,000 Club members, ages 5-18 by Wednesday, July 23.
Distributing backpacks to our members and families creates a sense of belonging with our Clubs. BGCC is committed to continuing to provide our youth with the necessary supplies to enhance their learning experience from day one.
Deadline
BGCC's Back-to-School collection deadline is Wednesday, July 23.
There are THREE ways you can support the Back-To-School drive:
- Make a Gift: Your financial contribution will allow BGCC to continue to provide essential learning and educational resources to our members through Club programming.
- DIY School Supply Kit: Instructions below share how you can make a DIY School Supply Kit for our Club members in the comfort of your own home or with friends or colleagues.
- Donate School Supplies: Go to our Back-To-School Drive Amazon Wish List and select items that you would like to donate and have shipped directly to the Clubs!
DIY School Supply Kit
What You’ll Need
- New school supplies purchased at a preferred store, website or BGCC’s Back-To-School Drive Amazon Wish List
- Gallon-sized plastic bags OR a new backpack
Instructions
- Review the requested packing list items needed in each gallon-sized plastic bag or backpack
- Packing List:
1 New Youth/Teenager Backpack,
2 College Ruled Spiral Bound Notebooks
2 Folders
4 Pencils
4 Erasers
4 Pens
1 Pencil Sharpener
1 Pack of Crayola Markers
1 Ruler
2 Glue Sticks
**We are unable to accept used donations or items with your organization's branding and/or visible logo.
- Packing List:
- Purchase new school supplies from your preferred store or website.
- Put the school supplies together in either a gallon-sized plastic bag or a new backpack.
- Donate your packs at a scheduled drop-off date, time and location before Wednesday, July 23!
Contact Information
If you or your company would like to participate or schedule a drop off, please send a confirmation email to Annie Garcia at agarcia@bgcc.org. If you have any questions about supply needs or would like to donate in support of the drive, please do not hesitate to reach out!
Thank you for your continued support of Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago. Together we are creating brighter futures for Chicago’s youth!