The Cornell University Elves Summer Backpack Program was started in the fall of 2007 when a first grade child went to school with all of her supplies in a plastic bag from a local grocery store. Within that year, the program provided 284 new backpacks filled with school supplies to 12 area schools. Since then, the program has expanded and now donates more than 500 backpacks each year to 25 schools. Cornell AgriTech started to participate in the program in 2013. In its first year, the Cornell AgriTech community donated 34 backpacks to North Street School.
The STAR Committee now serves as the liaison to the Cornell University Elves Summer Backpack Program. Each summer when the “Back to School” sales commence in local stores, the STAR Committee begins to raise donations for local schools in Geneva, New York.
In 2019, we donated a total of 61 backpacks to our elementary schools in Geneva. They were donated to West Street School (Grades K-2) and North Street School (Grades 3-5).
How can you donate to the Cornell University Elves Backpack Program?
If you would like to make a donation, there are two options.
1) Purchase a new backpack and fill it with the following items:
- 3 folders
- pencils
- pencil sharpener
- washable markers
- 2 spiral notebooks
- 2 composition books
- pens
- erasers
- blunt end scissors
- glue sticks
- crayons
- ruler
- tissues
- construction paper
2) Donate $20 (cash or check) and we will do the shopping. Checks should be written out to “The Elves.”
Where do I drop-off donations?
New backpacks filled with school supplies and monetary donations can be dropped off at the following locations:
- Sturtevant Hall- Sarah Lincoln
- IPM- Karen English
- Jordan Hall- Jessica Townley
- Hedrick Hall- Amy Andersen
- Barton Lab- Holly King or Kate Keagle
How can I find more information about the Cornell University Elves Backpack Program?
For more information regarding the Cornell University Elves Backpack Program, please refer to their website (http://www.elves.cornell.edu/backpack.html).