More Ottawa students returning to school with full backpacks thanks to local support
Posted Sep 3, 2022 07:15:00 PM.
School is back in session, and thanks to the efforts of United Way East Ontario and its partners, fewer students returned with empty backpacks.
Jade Nauman, United Way East Ontario regional director for Renfrew County, told The Sam Laprade Show on Sept. 1 that returning to school can especially affect low-income families and those living in rural areas with unequal access to technology, internet connection, school supplies and learning supports.
“This inequality can widen the gap in academic achievement between kids living in low-income households and those who are better off financially, which results in a learning loss,” Nauman explained.
PCL Construction in Ottawa partnered with United Way East Ontario to help ease the burden on these families and set a target to fill 250 backpacks with school supplies.
“Not only did PCL meet their goal, they also surpassed it and were able to fill 283 backpacks with school supplies for high school-aged students and youth and communities across our region,” she said.
As a former teacher, Nauman can attest to how challenging it is for students who don’t have the resources to return to school with the proper supplies, making it challenging for them to be fully engaged and succeed.
She added that the housing crisis, food inflation and financial burdens of the pandemic have caused an increased need for support programs like the Backpack Kit Building initiative.
Listen to the full interview with Jade Nauman below:
