The Salvation Army New Brunswick corps is doing its part to make sure children in the community have what they need for the upcoming school year; the organization hosted its annual school backpack giveaway. The annual event provides children attending kindergarten through 9th grade with essential items for the classroom.

Capt. Francisca Tripari said the giveaway is especially crucial now, with inflation forcing families to spend more on school supplies. “We want to impact the families that struggle for different reasons … with the support of different agencies from the community and people that have a great heart to help those in need,” Tripari said.

Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America is a multiplatform public media initiative that provides a deeper understanding of the impact of poverty on American society. Major funding for this initiative is provided by the JPB Foundation. Additional funding is provided by Ford Foundation.