The Backpack Venture: On a mission to support students and families

THE Backpack Venture is a charity started and operated from Port Stephens.

The mission of the charity is to help students and families experiencing financial hardship by providing them with backpacks and the essential school supplies.

This can only be achieved thanks to the generosity and support of communities, businesses such as Officeworks, other charities such as Good360 as well as service clubs across Australia.

The gift of a backpack – which is complete with lunch box, drink bottle and essential stationery items – not only ensures students start the school year feeling empowered, confident and ready to learn, it also helps and encourages students to attend school, as well as letting students and families know that people care.

Since The Backpack Venture was established in 2021 there has been an increase in demand for assistance.

It was this demand that was the catalyst for registering as a charity and obtaining DGR status in 2023.

To date, The Backpack Venture has supplied more than 3,500 children with essential school supplies, this included assisting those families impacted by the floods in the Lismore area in 2022.

Backpacks have been delivered from Newcastle to Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens to the North Coast, North Coast to the Gold Coast, and the Hunter Valley to Central West NSW.

The first community to put up their hand to help was our own.

When the call went out for donations and collection points there was immediate contact from several local organisations and individuals.

The Backpack Venture Charity collects donations all year round, but relies on two major Back To School Drives in January and June to help as many children as we can in rural and remote areas and those in need.

Contact The Backpack Venture on 0405 360 800 or find drop off locations on the Facebook page – The Backpack Venture.