Fred Rogers was famous for saying, "Anything that's human is mentionable, and anything that's mentionable can be more manageable." Our children are deeply aware of injustice in the world. They see, hear, and notice that people are treated differently and have access to different resources. Often, we allow children to sit with those observations. As adults, it can be difficult to talk about sad and difficult topics with children, so we remain silent, and children are left wondering what can be done.
Over the past few weeks, we have had the opportunity to talk about the hurt and reality that there are children who do not have all the supplies that they need to start the school year. It is not an easy conversation, but it is an important one. While we name this injustice, we also remind children that they have agency in helping our neighbors near and far.
The Backpack Project is one of the tools we use to help children learn more about service, justice, and our obligation to care for one another. It is powerful to see supplies, packed backpacks, and donations arrive to make the project possible. Our students learn about how these backpacks are used by our partners at Gemma Services to support children at the start of the school year. This year was a little different. Our students made a bold decision. In the past, we have provided crayons and either colored pencils or markers. This year, our students asked that their offering be used to help purchase extra markers and colored pencils so that each backpack would include all three items. When your offering is measured in quarters and dimes, it's a big decision to commit $100.
Last week, because of your generosity, children were able to start filling up backpacks. The project will continue this Sunday. Next Tuesday, more than 75 backpacks and a cash donation to help cover needed supplies will go to Gemma Services. Those backpacks will join 100s of others that will then be sent out. Each backpack is a testimony that we can work together and fight the injustice we see all while helping our neighbors near and far.
