GSF Foundation Committees Donate Over 10,000 Backpacks to Local Students through Back(pack) to School Program

With school back in full swing, thousands of students across the U.S. have benefited from donated backpacks and supplies to support academic success! Through its annual Back(pack) to School program, the GSF Foundation (GSFF) helped kids kick off this school year with confidence.

This year, 31 GSFF committees distributed nearly 10,300 backpacks filled with school supplies to students in local communities. The top committees donating the most backpacks included KanPak New York (over 1,450 backpacks), GSF City of Industry, California (nearly 1,300), GSF Irvine, California (more than 1,000), and GSF Opelika, Alabama (over 860). Among the newest participating committees was QCD Kansas City, Kansas.

“Supporting Back(pack) to School means helping ensure every child starts the year with the tools they need to succeed,” said Brian Gatesman, Director, Human Resources, KanPak, and KanPak New York GSFF committee member. “For me and the committee, it’s not just about providing backpacks and supplies, it is about investing in confidence, equality, and opportunity for all students in our community.”

The program also received generous support from GSF business partners, including Amcor, Craftsmen Utility Trailer, Morning Star, and Taylor Farms. Amcor’s donation to first-graders in the Fremont City School District in Ohio even attracted local media attention.

“We’re incredibly grateful for this partnership and the generosity shown to our students,” said Denice Hirt, superintendent of the Fremont City School District. “When local businesses come together like this to support education, it sends a powerful message to our children: you matter, and we believe in your future."

Since 2002, GSFF committees have donated more than 213,000 backpacks, a tradition of giving that continues to grow.