Wondering what it takes to deliver over 2500 backpacks to 13 sites within the city and across the county in one day?

This year as last, because of a much needed outpouring of contributed backpacks suitable for middle school and high school students, the HCEF staff was faced with a storage problem the three weeks preceding actual distribution. Happily for all of us, the folks at Trinity Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh again provided secure storage. A couple of days before Gear for Grades delivery day, volunteers gathered there to stuff a multitude of donated school supplies into the 300 backpacks donated by HCEF partner Glaxo-Smith Kline.

Each volunteer has her or his own way of doing, and the job gets done in less time than anticipated.

First step: unpack the boxes; liberate the backpacks!

Step 2: Add the notebooks, paper, pens, markers, glue sticks, rulers, and more.

 
 

Step 3: Stuff the filled book bags into large plastic bags, ready for transporting up Oliver Street to the Citizens Bank building.

Step 4: Take a celebratory team photo.
(Apologies to the volunteer on the far right, represented only by his right shoulder).

And then it is August 16, "Backpack Delivery Day." The days many hundreds of kids — and their moms — across Allegheny County have been eagerly anticipating.

A second set of volunteers moves the now heavy backpacks up the street to the Citizens Bank building. Moved how? In laundry carts graciously loaned to us by the Omni William Penn Hotel! A story in itself.

 
 

The first trip is completed! Time for a short break before heading back down the hill to refill the carts and once again take on what is close to becoming "Mount Oliver."

It took 4 cartloads to get the backpacks from Trinity to Citizens Bank, where the carts are being emptied one last time.

Gear for Grades 2010 photo story: page 2

(8/17/10)