Backpack Snack Attack fifth annual Back to School Month raises $16,421

WARWICK — This was the fifth consecutive year that the Warwick Town Board had proclaimed the month of August "Backpack Snack Attack Back to School Month."
As a result of extraordinary business community support, Backpack Snack Attack, a non-profit organization that provides nutritional snacks to almost 300 needy school children each week of the school year, raised a record $16,421, approximately $3,500 more than the previous year.
68 business partnersDepending on the price of food, the proceeds could fill 3,300 backpacks.
The program is run entirely by a group of volunteers and supported by donations and fund raising. All proceeds are used to purchase food for needy children in this community.
During August, 68 businesses throughout the town collected donations from their customers through the use of canisters, donation envelopes in restaurants and generous individuals. And some businesses wrote checks directly to Backpack which made this annual fund raiser the most successful in its five years.
Leo Kaytes Ford, for example, donated $2,000 as part of its grand reopening and is expecting another $5,000 to $6,000 for Backpack as part of the Drive4urCommunity program.
Community-minded businesses and their patrons"We would like to thank the incredible business community in the Town of Warwick," said Backpack Snack Attack President Shirley Puett. "They help us with every fund-raising effort we do throughout the year. A special thank you also to the patrons of these businesses who were incredibly generous this year. Please continue to support these community minded businesses."
NextBackpack's next fund raiser will be its annual dinner at Grappa Ristorante. It will be held on Monday, Nov. 6, at 6 p.m.
Reservations will be accepted beginning in October. More details to follow.
In addition, there will be a fall raffle with the drawing taking place at the Nov. 6 dinner.
- Roger Gavan