Summer is nearly gone... and so are the backpacks!

Picture: Morgan Becca's Service Dog is used to riding in a backpack and she thought she was helping.

I should have known better than saying what I am not going to do...
I had planned on for the first time in 9 years, I was not doing backpacks. But never say never, as God will have other ideas of what we are supposed to do.

I had been gone much of April, all of May, and early June. Then gone for two weeks of July, then the first week of August, and only have been home 4 of the weekends since April.

But we were asked to do it anyway.... With help from the Grant Regional Hospital, partnering with Grant County Social Services for finding the families of children needing help, and an East Dubuque Girl Scout troop helping stuff them...

148 children are beginning school with New Backpacks filled with School supplies.














Backpacks




















Detamara the veteran backpack packer is on the job.

6000 Backpacks in 9 years paid-it-forward.

Backpacks for Kids Press Release

Backpacks for Kids 2010
Press Release: July 14, 2010

















With Back to School just around the corner, the Yurcek family is once again on a mission, to give foster children and other needy children a head start for school. This year Grant County Wisconsin Program will serve about 200 children with new backpacks and boxes of school supplies to differing sites throughout the county. In the past eight years nearly 5,000 children have been given a hand up for the start of school due to the generosity of others and the Yurcek kids.

The Yurcek's knew what it meant to be without years earlier, when the Becca the youngest was a critically ill baby, the oldest four children started school due to the generosity of others. Several years later the Yurcek family grew when they reunited and adopted five siblings separated in foster care. The older adopted children remembered what it was like to head back to school from the homeless shelters empty handed.

Ann Yurcek was speaking to a group of foster and adoptive parents and the family learned about a group of foster children in Detroit who had just received 500 empty backpacks. On the trip home the children spent the three-hour trek planning on how to raise money to help fill those backpacks, as they knew what it was to be without. In less than l0 days, the childrens’ pop cans, lemonade stand, garage sale and door-to-door flyers helped fill over 100 backpacks with supplies. It was just their way of paying it forward.

Returning to Detroit, the children shared their dream of helping in Kalamazoo the next year. The foster care group gave the Yurceks 91 backpacks to help homeless children just in time for school. Backpacks for Kids was born. The project grew, and engaged the community to care. The Yurcek's Backpacks for Kids program has gained National Attention when it won the Disney All Stars Volunteer Team Award in 2004, and was featured in People Magazine in November 2005 for Small Angels, Kids Who Care. It was shared in a December 2006 Feature Story on Madison TV along with A Christmas Miracle and many news stories over the seven years of the programs existence.

But the Backpack Program is far from done even though the family now lives in Lancaster, Wisconsin for the past two years. Three years ago the Yurcek family left the Backpack Program in good hands as Kalamazoo families who have helped in the program carry the mission forward along with several other programs to fulfill the needs. In Lancaster the program is growing and Backpacks for Kids is partnering with Grant County Social Services, Grant Regional Hospital, community organizations, and others to help Grant County Foster Families and families in need have new school supply stuffed backpacks for the start of school.

The Yurcek family story and the backpack chapter is chronicled in a 2006 published book, Tiny Titan, Journey of Hope. The story of a family who lost everything when their youngest daughter Becca was born with a severe form of Noonan Syndrome. With six children, one of them a dying baby, the family struggled against poverty, catastrophic medical bills and the despair faced by many families with terminally ill children. The Yurceks learned from the Tiny Titan to never give up and due to the Angels in their lives, they moved forward. Jim returned to school; two years of undergraduate coursework and four years of medical school were supported by delivering newspapers as a family. As the family was moving to Michigan for a general surgery residency they adopted transracially a set of five siblings. The story moves forward through the challenges of their newly adopted children’s attachment issues and the diagnoses of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. The book is the roller coaster of the ups and downs of life of special needs families and miracles.

Tiny Titan Journey of Hope was written to inspire others and to raise awareness of the causes of special needs families, foster and adoptive families and the children they raise.

Tiny Titan, Journey of Hope by Ann Yurcek was recently honored as being selected as a two-time Award winner in the 2007 Mom’s Choice Awards. Tiny Titan, Journey of Hope was a finalist in the categories: Adult: Non-Fiction and the Your Heart Our Hands special category.

Liberty Ridge Media:

Backpacks Again

Backpacks for Kids 2010 Goal: 200

















This year with being gone so much, I hadn't planned on doing the backpack project, but God had other ideas. So for the 9th year, the Yurceks are back raising money, shopping for school supply bargains and engaging the community to send children in need back to school with a new backpack filled with school supplies.

I managed to find Papermate Mechanical Pencils 5 ct. 2 for $.39 at Walgreens and picked up my 6 pencil sharpeners for $.29 each. Kmart has Bic Pens for $.50, and these are good quality pens.

As always we get the questions why so many? We explain and then there is never a problem picking up a quantity of 50 or 30 at a trip. The cashiers now are beginning to remember us, and the phone is ringing. The hospital is once again on board, along with the Platteville Jaycees :)

This year we will be going business to business asking them to sponsor a child for $20 which it
costs for a backpack and supplies.

The need is great everywhere, there are backpack programs across the country. Also the schools funds are often tight, it costs very little to drop off extra pencils, crayons, glue or paper to your child's teacher and they appreciate the help keeping the classroom stocked.

Teaching our kids to care, is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. Create a family project to shop for a child and drop it off in time for school.

It need not cost much, use your bargain hunting skills to make a difference in the life of a needy child.

Spring Daffodils. Have a Blessed Easter Weekend.

Have a Blessed Easter from Our Family to Yours.
Anny

These Daffodils were so beautiful. We took this picture in home school photography class today while we were out exploring the rolling hills of SW Wisconsin.

Backpacks for Kids 2009

200 Empty Backpacks purchased, 12 backpacks donated employees at Grant Regional Hospital (filled with supplies and checks to help with the project), and Grant County Social Services raised money to purchase 75 from Menards. When we work together we can turn backpacks and school supplies into miracles for many children before school starts.















Becca and I spent the day organizing supplies into a school supply warehouse. Chairs became work tables and my feet hurt from all the walking.















What do you do with all the FREE toothbrushes to get Walgreens Register Rewards? Stuff them in Backpacks and thanks to Our family Dentist we were able to put toothpaste and dental floss with each. Along with the trial size deodorants for the middle and high schoolers.




















Detamara kept us on track by giving us the backpack label, the notecard with the backpack number which after many years of missing labels is not placed in the front pocket to make sure we know whose bookbag it is.




















Becca's service dog Morgan thought backpacks are for riding in. Doesn't she use one in the stores?















Two social workers from the county and two teens volunteered their Wednesday evening helping us pack the Backpacks until 8:00. Thank you for helping kids.















200 fully stuffed backpacks for kids in Grant County ready for School.















Did you know a Toyota Sequoia can hold l60 Backpacks and not one more?
The backpacks were delivered to social services yesterday.

200 backpacks and pencils
400 packages of filler paper, pencils
150 packages of pens,
600 package of erasers
200 packages of crayons (2 each for the younger kids)
900 spiral bound notebooks
900 folders to match
120 toothbrushes and toothpaste (next year I will have to plan better)
200 highlighters or packages of highlighters
24 Kleenex boxes for the Kindergarteners and Preschoolers
150 packages of colored pencils
200 scissors
200 packages of Marker Pens
and a whole lot more.

We will be sending extra supplies to the elementary school and the church for youth programs.

19 years ago, someone cared enough to adopt Kristy, Nathan, Ian and Marissa for school. When Becca was in the hospital and our family had fallen into poverty a Backpack Angel Tree filled the need. When you receive you pay it forward. 6200 times in the past 9 years.

Backpacks for Kids-- Paying it Forward

Press Release: July 14, 2009



With Back to School just around the corner, the Yurcek family is once again on a mission, to give foster children and other needy children a head start for school. This year Grant County Wisconsin Program will serve about 150 children with new backpacks and boxes of school supplies to differing sites throughout the county. In the past seven years nearly 5,000 children have been given a hand up for the start of school due to the generosity of others and the Yurcek kids. This year Becca Yurcek was inspired to take Backpacks for Kids-- Cyber Campaign. She is asking her avid readers of her Movie Deals on her Mom's Blog to buy a Backpack and schools supplies for a child in need in their own communities

The Yurcek's knew what it meant to be without years earlier, when the Becca the youngest was a critically ill baby, the oldest four children started school due to the generosity of others. Several years later the Yurcek family grew when they reunited and adopted five siblings separated in foster care. The older adopted children remembered what it was like to head back to school from the homeless shelters empty handed.

Ann Yurcek was speaking to a group of foster and adoptive parents and the family learned about a group of foster children in Detroit who had just received 500 empty backpacks. On the trip home the children spent the three-hour trek planning on how to raise money to help fill those backpacks, as they knew what it was to be without. In less than l0 days, the childrens’ pop cans, lemonade stand, garage sale and door-to-door flyers helped fill over 100 backpacks with supplies. It was just their way of paying it forward.

Returning to Detroit, the children shared their dream of helping in Kalamazoo the next year. The foster care group gave the Yurceks 91 backpacks to help homeless children just in time for school. Backpacks for Kids was born. The project grew, and engaged the community to care. The Yurcek's Backpacks for Kids program has gained National Attention when it won the Disney All Stars Volunteer Team Award in 2004, and was featured in People Magazine in November 2005 for Small Angels, Kids Who Care. It was shared in a December 2006 Feature Story on Madison TV along with A Christmas Miracle and many news stories over the seven years of the programs existence.

But the Backpack Program is far from done even though the family now lives in Lancaster, Wisconsin for the past two years. Two years ago the Yurcek family left the Backpack Program in good hands as Kalamazoo families who have helped in the program carry the mission forward along with several other programs to fulfill the needs. In Lancaster the program is growing and Backpacks for Kids is partnering with Grant County Social Services, community organizations, and others to help Grant County Foster Families and families in need have new school supply stuffed backpacks for the start of school.

The Yurcek family story and the backpack chapter is chronicled in a 2006 published book, Tiny Titan, Journey of Hope. The story of a family who lost everything when their youngest daughter Becca was born with a severe form of Noonan Syndrome. With six children, one of them a dying baby, the family struggled against poverty, catastrophic medical bills and the despair faced by many families with terminally ill children. The Yurceks learned from the Tiny Titan to never give up and due to the Angels in their lives, they moved forward. Jim returned to school; two years of undergraduate coursework and four years of medical school were supported by delivering newspapers as a family. As the family was moving to Michigan for a general surgery residency they adopted transracially a set of five siblings. The story moves forward through the challenges of their newly adopted children’s attachment issues and the diagnoses of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. The book is the roller coaster of the ups and downs of life of special needs families and miracles.

Tiny Titan Journey of Hope was written to inspire others and to raise awareness of the causes of special needs families, foster and adoptive families and the children they raise.

Tiny Titan, Journey of Hope by Ann Yurcek was recently honored as being selected as a two-time finalist in the 2007 Mom’s Choice Awards. Tiny Titan, Journey of Hope was a finalist in the categories: Adult: Non-Fiction and the Your Heart Our Hands special category.

Liberty Ridge Media:

Office Max--Back to School Bargains

Cheaper by the Dozen and Get One Free--Backpacks for Kids Cyber--Drive 157 pledged backpacks and counting.

Can You help?





Back to School Bargains
Office Max


Highlighters---1 cent limit 3
Protractors--- 5 cents limit 3
Metal Compass--- 10 cents limit 3
Markers--- 50 cents limit 3

When you shop pick up a few extras and donate to a school supply drive or your local school to help children who will face school without your help.

Join our Backpacks for Kids--Cyber Drive by picking up a backpack and fill it with supplies for a child without in your community.

Walgreens Back to School--Buy One Backpack Get One FREE

Walgreens Back to School Bargains of the Week:

Walgreens Best Buys Worth Noting




Buy One High Trails $9.99 Backpack Get One FREE






Becca and I challenge other frugal bloggers to use Register Rewards to help a child head off to school with a NEW Backpack and with this deal why not make it 2 for the price of one.

We have had used these backpacks for our Backpacks for Kids Program and they hold up well for the price. Today I just picked up 6.

Papermate 10 count Mechanical Pencils $.39 (this is $2.20 a pack off)
Fiskars Kids Scissors $.79 (This is the lowest price for these scissors I have ever seen)

$.19
Mini Highlighters (limit 3 with walgreens coupon)

$.29
Penway 2 pack Pink Eraser
Pencil/Crayon or Dome Sharpener

$.39
Corner Office 100 pack White or Colored Index Cards 3.5
Plastic Sheet Protectors--10 pack
Dividers--5 Pack

$.50
Filler Paper 120 - 130 sheets (limit 4 with in-ad Walgreens coupon)

$.99
Crayola Markers-10 pack

$1
2 Pocket Folder with Prongs 8/$1 (limit 8 with in-ad Walgreens coupon)
Legal Pads 3/$1 (limit 3 with in-ad Walgreens Coupon)

Sharpie Markers 12 pack Fine Point $4.99

Target Back to School 7-12-/18

Target Weekly Back to School Best Deals 7/12

Target is launching back to school with huge savings. While you are there, pick up an extra BACKPACK for A child in need in your community. Join our Backpacks for Kids Cyber-Campaign to help 2000 children start school with the needed supplies. Click here to see how to help.


Buy an Embark Backpack get a FREE Embark Lunch Kit up to $9.99
Embark Backpacks are on Sale for $9.00, $14.00, $19.00






$.50
Rose Art Washable 8 Count Markers
Rose Art 12 Count Color Pencils
Mead 70 page Theme Notebooks
Bic Crystal Pens 10-count
Vinyl Pencil Pounches
#2 Yellow Pencils--24 count
Pink or Blue Plastic Pencil School Boxes

$2
Dry Erase Board

On Price Reduction
$.30 24 Count Crayola Crayons

$1
Crayola Markers--10 Pack Bold and Assorted Colors
Crayola Markers--Thin
Crayola Colored Pencils--12 count

Backpacks for Kids--Kids Can Make A Difference

Backpacks for Kids











From Left to Right, Maggie a volunteer,
Detamara Yurcek, Me, Delonzo at Office Depot of our four Drop Sites in Kalamazoo that year. August 2002

BACKPACK for KIDS-Cyber Campaign Count

BACKPACKS for KIDS--Cyber Campaign
151 Backpacks to Date 1,849 to go.

Goal: 2000 Backpacks filled with love and school supplies for children in need by you in your communities across the United States.

Read Here about our Campaign.

Help a child in need start school with a New Backpack by pledging to buy one filled with school supplies and drop it off at one of the many school supply campaigns in many communities across the country or at a local school. Principals and teachers will know how to find a child who needs a hand up for school.

Commit to buying a Backpack by leaving a comment here or emailing me privately at Anny458@aol.com and check back for our Back to School Frugal Finds.

Backpacks for Kids-- Staples 1Cent Pencils and $5/$20

Staples has Posted their Ad beginning Sunday July 12 with an amazing $5.00 off $20.00 coupon.

Combine it with these School Supply deals and begin your back to School Shopping Valid Sunday through Wednesday July 12-15













Sharpie Major Accent Highlighters, Assorted 6 Pack $1.00 Limit 2
#2 Yellow Pencils 8 per pack 1 Cent Limit 2
Fiskars Kids Scissors $1.00 Limit 2
Staples Pink Wedge Erasers, 3 Pack $1.00 Limit 2
Bic Velocity Stick Fashion Pens Assorted 5 per pack $1.00 Limit 2
Plastic School Boxes $1.00 Limit 2
Bic Wite-Out Quick Dry 2 Pack $1.00 Limit 2
Staples Mini Magnetic Stapler $1.00
Staples 8.5" x 11" Copy Paper 500 Sheets 1 Cent after $3.68 Easy Rebate Limit 2

Total the Above Items $21.30 less $5.00 coupon less $7.26 Rebate for 2 Paper = $9.04

You may save more if you have the Bic internet printables from a week or so ago.

More From Staples Worth Mentioning:

Crayola Classic Markers Buy 1 Get 1 Free
Staples also has Backpacks on sale for 25% to 50% off this week.

*Deals posted in bold are probably close to a lowest season price.

Backpacks for Kids: Cyber Campaign. Buy a Backpack and Donate it to a Child in Need in Your Community. GOAL: 2000 Backpacks

I challenge fellow Frugal Bloggers to help Becca fill backpacks and join our Backpacks for Kids Cyber Campaign to Buy Backpacks for Children in Need across America.

Over the next two months, I challenge other Bloggers to join the campaign to fill a backpack with needed school supplies and donate it to one of the many Back To School Drives in almost every community across the United States. Becca's Goal to inspire you to match the 5,000 Backpacks our family and Backpacks for Kids has given away in the past 7 years. This mom burst her dream and told her that she needed to goal more manageable. So we compromised on 2000.

Becca has worked year round for these years scouring and hunting for the the Best Deals for Backpacks and School Supplies. We are again working in our own county for Back to School through our County Services making sure every child who is referred has the supplies they need to attend school. Our Garage will be turned again into Back To School Central.

Becca and I will be scouring the Ads and will post the Best School Supplies bargains weekly on Sunday. With all of us using our bargain hunting skills we can save money for our families sending our kids back to school and together will help children in need by fulfilling the needs of the school supplies campaigns across America. Over the next couple of weeks we will be posting the deals, sharing our purchases and giving you a place to share your frugal back to school finds and most importantly give you ideas on how to get the backpacks to a child in need.

I begin with my pledge of 150 Backpacks already purchased. 1,850 to Go. Can You Help?

Add your pledge to Buy a backpack with supplies for a needy child and lets unite to reach a goal of 2000 backpacks to add to the 5000 Backpacks for Kids and our family has already raised in the last 7 years.

Sign on to the campaign and pledge to buy a backpack and school supplies by leaving a comment on the blog. I will get a formal sign up on the blog and we will watch the multiplying backpacks begin.

Back to School Deals Begin

Miss Becca in the Middle with some of our Backpack Friends (2005)

If anyone has read my story, Tiny Titan, they know that Back to School is one of my most favorite time of the year. Not because I am sending my kids back to school, because of a miracle so many years ago, that I get the gift of repaying backpacks that my kids had received when our family was in poverty from Becca's catastrophic illness and Jim losing his job to cover her million dollars in medical bills.

Where my frugalness and bargain hunting skills are best served is through school supply shopping. I have taught my kids how to stretch small change and turn them into school supplies which over the past 7 years have served over 5000 children in the communities were we have lived. The miracles of the multiplying backpacks and schools supplies and who it would inspire.

Over the next two months check back and find out the whole story and I will be posting Back to School Deals to save money with sending the kids back to school.

I will be posting Weekly Back to School hints and deals. This year I would like other frugal bloggers to join the campaign to help needy children have NEW backpacks and school supplies in your own communities.

As you are out shopping, pick up the Back to School Frugal Finds and find your own communities back to school drives and help children have a New Backpack and Supplies to Start School Ready to Learn.