For the next three weeks, a major drive to collect new backpacks and other school supplies is being conducted by two UCSB groups so the materials can be distributed to low income elementary students before school starts. UCSB’s Community Affairs Board and the campus Professional Women’s Association are collaborating with the goal of distributing 200-plus backpacks, with supplies, to area students.

“People take backpacks for granted and not everyone has them,” said Katya Armistead, co-chair of the committee implementing the project.

“We also need supplies for the backpacks,” said Gina Gonzalez, co-chair with Armistead. “We need things like dictionaries, thesauruses, rulers, calculators, etc.”

New backpacks and other supplies may be dropped off at the university’s Visitor Center, 1102 in the Student Affairs and Administration Services Building, or the office of the Community Affairs Board, 2523 in the University Center.

The Community Affairs Board is the Volunteer and Service Learning Center for UCSB, and a nonprofit agency serving the tri-county region.

For more information, or to donate time, money or materials to the project, contact Michelle Miller at 893-4291 or Katya Armistead at 893-8113.

Photo by Matthew Bassin