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Piles of notebooks, index cards and colored pencils greeted anyone who entered the Washington Kids distribution center Wednesday morning.
It was the organization’s annual backpacking party, after all.
The goal, by the end of the day, was to put together roughly 750 backpacks for middle and high school McKinney-Vento and low-income students in the Edmonds School District. Backpacks will be distributed at 3 p.m. Aug. 14 at Meadowdale High School.
“Kids deserve an equal opportunity for basic needs,” Washington Kids Executive Director Kim Gorney said.
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law that supports children and youth experiencing homelessness. It provides federal funding for related district programs.
Washington Kids assists students and families in the Edmonds and Everett school districts by providing motel vouchers for those facing immediate homelessness, as well as emergency food, toiletries and clothes, among other resources.
During the backpacking party, volunteers lined up at a row of tables that had hundreds of pencil pouches, pens and erasers, among other supplies a student would need in a typical school year. The volunteers almost resembled a conveyor belt system.
Washington Kids Volunteer Coordinator Susan Larson said a lot of students may go without support if the organization did not exist. She added that she is grateful for the volunteers, who feel like family to her.
“I respect everything Washington Kids does,” Larson said.
Edmonds School District Board Member Thom Garrard, who volunteered that day, said students experiencing housing insecurity should not have to face barriers to fully participate in schools.
School supplies may not be a high priority compared to food and shelter, Garrard said, so equipping the students with school supplies will help
“It’s important to me that schools are inclusive,” Garrard said.
The school board appointed Garrard last summer to the Position 4 seat after Deborah Kilgore resigned in July. Garrard will be on the November general election ballot, facing challenger Jason Moore.
Gorney said the backpacking party – started about five years ago – usually happens around this time of the year. The organization purchases brand-new school supplies to distribute.
The Edmonds School District takes care of filling backpacks for the elementary-age students, Gorney said. Preregistration for the district’s backpack giveaway is required and is currently at capacity.
For the 2024-25 school year, about 21,000 students were enrolled in the school district, according to a state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s report card. About 44.4% – or 9,357 – of those were low income, and 2.9% or 616 were unhoused.
Those looking for local resources to obtain food, clothing and shelter can call 211 or go to search.wa211.org.
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Network. Contact her at angelica@myedmondsnews.com.
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