Volunteers pack backpacks in a past collection drive.

NEW ULM — School bells seem like a long way off but United Way of Brown County, in partnership with Bank Midwest, 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.

Letters were sent out to over 480 families throughout Brown County whose families qualify for the free lunch program. United Way staff said they had a great response last year from people who dropped off supplies at the many donation boxes we had placed throughout the county. We hope to see lots of donations again this year. To give you an idea of how much is needed, last year we collected 8100 pencils, 1300 spiral notebooks, 800 dry-erase markers, 500 boxes of Kleenex, 300 highlighters and much more!

New Ulm donation boxes can be found at 3M, Alliance Bank, American Legion New Ulm, Bank Midwest, Bob Webb Insurance Agency, Cathedral of Holy Trinity, Christ the King Lutheran, Chuck Spaeth Ford, Church of St. Mary, Citizens Bank Minnesota, Inspired, Jensen Motors, New Ulm Medical Center, New Ulm Public Library, New Ulm Regional Veterinary Center, Kids Connection, Turner Hall, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Parker Hannifin, Shoe Sensation, SouthPoint Financial Credit Union, SpecSys, United Prairie Bank, Windings. 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.