NEW ULM — School bells seem like a long way off but United Way of Brown County is already working to help families get their kids backpacks filled for school. It takes a lot of money to fill a backpack and United Way knows that some families struggle to get this done.

New Ulm’s collection boxes are located at 3M, Alliance Bank, AMPI Butter Plant, Bank Midwest, Broadway Chiropractic, Christ the King, Church of St. George, Church of St. Mary, Citizens Bank, First United Methodist, Frandsen Bank, Jensen Motors, Kraft Foods, Menards, New Ulm Chamber, New Ulm Medical Center, New Ulm Public Library, Oak Hills Living Center, Parker Hannifin, SouthPoint Financial Credit Union, SpecSys, United Church of Christ, United Prairie Bank, Windings. Staff, church members and customers at these locations are encouraged to contribute. A suggested list of supplies is on each donation box as well as on the United Way website (www.unitedwaybrowncountyrarea.org). Only new, unused items are needed.

If you want to help kids be excited to start school because they have a new backpack filled with supplies on their school’s list, consider putting crayons, markers, highlighters, hand sanitizer and much more in a donation box near you. Monetary gifts can also be sent to United Way Backpack Project, PO Box 476, New Ulm, MN 56073.